Darkness Within
by C.Queen
Summary: When everything goes wrong Matt leaves home to start his life over again with his childhood friend Rika, a fellow digimon tamer and someone who understands what it takes to face the darkness that lurks inside them both. JeriTak SoraTai (rest undecided)
1. Darkness Within

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the plot ideas displayed here and in other fics written by me. Thanks to all those who've been reading and reviewing over the years and I very much hope that you continue to do so. Thanks again and I hope you enjoy this first chapter of my latest fic. 

Background and Timeline for the FIC: In this fic the order of events is that first the original season one cast landed in the Digital World and did their thing there with saving the world and such. Then about a year after, the events of season three of Digimon occurred with the Tamers facing off against the D-Reaper. Half a decade later or so the events of Digimon season two happened with the Digidestined saving the world again and causing events that led to digimon and people sharing both the digital and real world. As a result digimon are present in the real world with their partners as well as their partners being able to travel to the digital world. 

When You Need Me 

Alone in the apartment he'd shared with his father for years Matt absently looked around him and thought about the fact that the idea of leaving it forever didn't really bother him. It should have, shouldn't it? He'd lived there for years with his old man but really, when he bothered to think about it, it was just a bunch of rooms that he ate and slept in. This place had never been home to him. He'd only really ever had one home, a home with his little brother and his parents years and years ago. Then his parents had split up and his home was sold, every place he'd lived after that simply some rooms he came to when it was needed. At seventeen he was leaving this place and he doubted very much he'd be coming back any time soon which didn't bother him in the least. 

) 

His father was always working, Matt couldn't remember a time when his workaholic father hadn't. But now his father had decided he was going to slow down and try to spend more time at home only it wasn't because he'd realized his son might want him around, oh no, that was something his father had never clued into. No his father had apparently developed the hots for his station's weather lady and now the two were planning to shack up here together. Matt had no intention of sticking around to see that happen. His father wouldn't have kicked him out of course but the last place Matt wanted to be was around to see his father making an idiot of himself over some idiot girl Matt seriously doubted could spell weather if it wasn't coming up on the TV cues. When he'd begun to realize how far the relationship was going Matt had planned to at least try to stick it out since he didn't really have enough money to strike out on his own. Then he'd found out that his girlfriend of years had had a slight lapse of judgment. Ended up in a hot and heavy make out session with his best friend just hours ago in fact. They didn't even know that he knew. He'd walked into the room, seen, then just as quietly walked out. It had either been that or find something to bash Tai's brains out with. He knew he was capable of it and had known enough to get the hell out before he let that side of him do the talking. Or in this case swinging and bashing, Matt thought with a cruel smile on his lips as he finished throwing some stuff into his backpack, his suitcase already loaded to go. Oh he knew that Tai and Sora hadn't meant to hurt him, that they'd be really sorry and beg his forgiveness. But right now he wasn't in a forgiving mood. He was in a very dark and dangerous mood in fact, barely leashed by the control he'd found over time for moments like this. He knew all their shared friends wouldn't be on his side either. They'd try to play peacemaker and think that some sorries and lousy explanations would make up for it. Yeah right. To make matters worse his little brother was dating Tai's little sister Kari, in other words this could seriously screw up that relationship too so he couldn't even count on his own brother this time. Matt wouldn't hurt his brother T.K. for all the world either which was just one more reason to be angry at this latest lousy hand life had given him. So instead he was gonna pack up and go. Leave everyone behind and head off into the unknown. Well not quite the unknown, he had a destination in mind at least. He hadn't been in that area for a long time but one of his oldest and most like minded friends lived in that area with her grandmother and mother. He knew they'd let him stay with them for a while, it was as good a place to go as any. No one would think to look for him there and he could count on Rika the way he could never count on anyone else. 

) 

Leaning back against her locker sixteen year old Rika Nonaka's eyes slowly scanned the hallway, keeping an eye out for both friends and foes. Most everyone passing by gave her a wide berth, she had a bad reputation after all and everyone in this school knew it. She was bad news and getting on her bad side, easy enough to do, could get you into a world of trouble. She was a incorrigible delinquent as her principal loved to call her. A trouble maker. The fat old fart would have thrown her out of the school years ago but she was just too smart to give him enough solid evidence to manage it. Though she rarely participated in class and had a tendency to scare the hell out of her classmates Rika was undeniably intelligent and miracle of miracles was a straight A student. Not because she cared about school overly but A, she didn't want to be stuck in school longer then she had to be and B, it meant a lot to her grandmother that Rika did well and did something with herself. As her grandmother was one of the handful of people that actually loved Rika for some reason the girl made an effort to please her, something she wouldn't do for just anyone including her own mother. 

"Hey ya." Came a greeting and Rika nodded as her best friend Alice McCoy walked over, the other students in the hall moving out of her way quickly. Her blond hair, streaked with blue highlights swaying down to her back Alice would have been wearing all black as usual if they were anywhere but at school. As it was they were stuck wearing the stupid blue sailor suit type uniforms they'd long since decided had been created by lecherous school officials, desperate to see some female leg since there was no logical reason why the skirts had to be so damn short. In fact their first day at school they'd spray painted that on one of the walls in nice big, bold letters. Of course no on had ever been able to prove they'd done it. 

) 

"Hey, what's up?" Rika said as she raised an eyebrow at the irritated look on Alice's face. 

"Ryo's girlfriend. I swear that one of these days I'm going to grab one of her pom poms and shove it down her throat." Alice snarled as she leaned up against the locker beside Rika, a scowl on her face. Since the whole D-Reaper thing they'd been casual friends with the Mr. Popular of their high school but at the moment that relationship was more then a little strained thanks to Mr. Perfect' Ryo Akiyama's latest bimbo. "What does he see in her?" 

"Well isn't that obvious?" Rika said with a cynical smirk on her face. "Big breasts, tiny waist and the intelligence of a goldfish. A guy's perfect fantasy." 

"This world would be so much better if we just killed every male on this planet. We'd be national heroes and go down in history as having saved the world from the stupidest invention every created. Man." Alice said as she crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Speaking of cheerleaders Jeri wants us to come to some sort of sleep over deal. Remind me again how we became friends with a perky, happy go lucky cheerleader?" 

"Because we were blind to the fact that she'd become one. By the time we realized it we were fond enough of her not to try and make her life miserable like we do with the rest of her squad. Thus we ended up stuck with her as well as the other idiots we so unwillingly associate with now. Speaking of which I had to rescue Kenta from his locker again. I told him to stay away from open lockers after the seventh time but he just doesn't listen or his brain can't retain anything that doesn't involve video games. He won't tell me who stuck him in there though, he's afraid of what I'll do to the guy since I had my little talk with his last bully." 

"Is that idiot still in the hospital by the way?" 

) 

"No, I think he's out now. Word was his parents were going to have him transferred out of this school." Rika said with an amused chuckle. She might think that Kenta was an idiot nerd with bully me tattooed to his forehead but he was still her idiot nerd friend. As a result she had to have little meetings with people that harassed him to get across the idea that Kenta was only to be picked on and belittled by her or a member of their group. Outsiders were to find other victims or pay the price. With her rep all but the stupidest took her advice and ran for it. As a result Kenta and the idiot's best friend Kazu were in general left alone which would have never happened had they not been under the watchful eyes of their friends. Along with Jeri's boyfriend Takato the two were Ryo's willing stooges too which lent them a sort of respect even though Rika thought that that made them just that much stupider. 

"Gee, I wonder why." Ryo said sarcastically as he walked over with his peppy little barbie girlfriend beside him along with Henry who's eyes just begged Alice and Rika to behave. "How's it going, ladies?" He added with a wink. It continued to puzzle the student body why the most popular boy in school would want to talk, much less hang out with the lowest people on the school food chain but how could he really explain the connection he had with them? In battle you developed bonds and they were ones that weren't easily broken. Yes Rika and Alice were dark, often hostile and cold individuals and yes Kazu and Kenta were complete geeks but none the less they were his friends, regardless of what everyone else thought. 

"Oh look, his head hasn't exploded yet from trying to learn something for once. Surprise, surprise." Rika replied drolly, her own arms crossing in front of her. Actually Ryo was as smart as she was but she preferred to think of him as a stupid jock and nothing more. It gave her more of an excuse not to like him. 

"So are you girls going to this sleep over Suzi's been talking about?" Henry asked quickly, hoping to avoid an all out war of mass proportions. Nobody riled Rika like Ryo and the last thing Rika needed was another mark on her permanent school record. There were enough there as it was. 

) 

"You two were invited?" Ryo's girlfriend, Theresa asked innocently, her voice sweet but with an underlining scorn that Rika heard loud and clear since she was used to veiled insults and double meanings. She'd grown up in the world of fashion after all. 

"Yup." Alice said with a small smile, already pondering the pros and cons of all this if she did decide to go now that she got the feeling Jeri's cheerleading buddies might be there. The last thing she wanted was to be trapped in a room with a bunch of giggling cheerleaders but at the same time..oh the possibilities. 

"Oh, Rika!" Came a sing song voice and Rika, Alice, Henry and Ryo all looked over in shock to see Theresa's best friend Umi practically bounce over to them, her voice all sweet and perky as she fast walked her way over. "There you are." Umi said as she beamed at Rika like the girl was her best friend and was delighted to have found her. 

Morbidly fascinated and weary of the greeting Rika raised a questioning eyebrow as she spoke the words on everyone's mind. "What the hell do you want?" 

"I just came to tell you that you have a visitor." Umi replied as she sent Rika her most innocent and friendly look that she could manage. This was, after all, Rika Nonaka. Anyone who didn't give the girl a wide berth was an idiot as far as Umi was concerned. But right now little miss bitch might be her key to landing the hunkiest guy she'd ever laid eyes on. "I offered to come find you for him." 

"Him? Who's him?" Rika asked suspiciously, wondering if this was some sort of joke or trap. Cheerleaders were in general stupid enough to attempt something so suicidal. She did often speculate they were dumber then lemmings. 

"Uhm his name is Matt?" Umi said with a shrug having been too dazzled to get much information before she'd impulsively offered to find Rika when the gorgeous hunk had said he was here to see Rika Nonaka. "Maybe he's a model friend of your mom's come to pick you up?" 

) 

"I highly doubt that." Rika replied and hoped she was right. She wouldn't put it past her bubble brained mother to try to increase her daughter's social status by making it appear that Rika had bagged herself a super model for a boyfriend. God she hoped not. "Where is he?" Rika finally said with a sigh, hoping she wasn't going to have to end the day in another fight with her mother. If her mother was even home to yell at. 

"I'll take you there." Umi said and motioning her to follow headed off with Rika having no choice but to follow after the little dim wit. Vaguely annoyed when she realized everyone else was coming Rika shot Ryo and his girlfriend a look that said plainly neither of them were wanted but both seemed oblivious to it. Not that that was all that surprising in Theresa's case, Rika thought with a faint smirk. Finally arriving Umi stopped and pointed in the direction of a large group of girls who seemed to have surrounded a tall, blonde male and had no intention of leaving. 

Oh God, her mother must have really sent some model here and now she was stuck possibly dealing with some egotistical, brainless male model who either owed her mother a favor or was being paid. She hoped it was the latter so that she could just pay him more the get lost. 

"So who is he, Rika?" Alice wanted to know as she stood at Rika's shoulder, sympathetically patting her friend's shoulder. Well used to Rika's mom's stupid ideas Alice could only hope this wasn't going to end in bloodshed. Since Rika couldn't really beat up her mother Alice could see Rika picking a fight with some poor idiot as a result of all this. 

"I don't know. Too many girls in the way." Rika said with a roll of her eyes then deciding to take the shortest route took a few steps forward then in her bitchiest voice told the girls to get lost. "All right you idiot pinheads. He's here to see me apparently so get out of my way so I can see who the hell he is." 

"Rika?" Came a questioning voice and then the sea of girls slowly parted to reveal a gorgeous blonde in black pants, a white T-shirt and a black leather jacket, his cool blue eyes showing amusement as he made his way over to her with the faintest of grins on his gorgeous face. "Long time no see, Bonnie." 

) 

"M..M...MATTTT!" Rika yelped out as a huge, very un Rika like smile split her features and to the shock of everyone in the room ran over to the handsome blonde and threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck as he pulled her into a hug. "What the hell are you doing here?" Rika demanded to know after a thorough hug before pulling back to give her old friend the once over. "You got an earring." 

"Yup, should have seen the look on dad's face when I came home sporting it." Matt said with a good natured grin, feeling better already now that she was here. No one else would really understand but her. "Now what's this about you being some bad ass chick that rules this school with an iron grip? When I told anyone that I was looking for you they looked at me like I had just told them I was the reincarnation of John Lennon." 

"What can I say, you were a good teacher." Rika said with a smirk as she good naturedly punched him lightly in the shoulder. "So what the hell are you doing here anyway?" 

"Actually I'm moving here or have moved here I guess." Matt said with a grin that got bigger as he added, "To your house specifically." 

"To my house?" 

"Yup, I'm living at your place for a while if it's okay with you. Your grandmother and mother said it was okay but I figured I should check with you first before it was official." Matt said with a grin though there was a look of uncertainty in his eyes. He didn't know how she'd feel about him moving in, he could only hope she'd be cool with it. 

"Seriously? You're moving in with us?" Rika said as her jaw dropped in shock as she stared at him dumbly. "Why? Did you have a fight with your dad or something?" 

"Long story." Matt sad simply, his eyes telling Rika all that she needed to know. 

) 

"Well then of course you can stay with us. This is gonna be awesome." Rika said with her eyes lighting up at the idea that Matt would be living with her. She'd often wished that he could have been her big brother, she'd actually treated Matt's dad's well when he'd been dating her mother for the sole reason that them being together meant she and Matt could be together too. 

"So you're a friend of Rika?" Alice asked, interrupting as she came to stand beside Rika then felt her eyes go wide as she recognized the man in front of her. She'd seen them play when she'd been visiting some cousins on her mother's side a year ago during spring break. "I know you. You're the lead singer for the Shinigamis. You guys kick serious musical ass." 

"Thanks. We're actually on a break from each other but it's always nice to know that there's someone who would want us to get back together after school is done. Practice was killing some of the others school wise." Matt said with a shrug as he held out his hand, shaking the girl's hand. "Alice right? Rika's shown me pictures but they don't do you justice." Matt added with a charming grin, slipping into the rakish bad boy facade as easily as someone might slip into a jacket. Like Rika he could be just about anyone he wanted to be when the situation called for it. People like them always had plenty of masks to hide behind. 

"Don't be hitting on my friends or I'll have to hurt you. Besides you have a girlfriend." Rika said with faint amusement as she tried not to grin at the star struck look on Alice's face. A very rare occurrence indeed. 

"Not any more." Matt said, shrugging it off though it was just one more addition to the darkness that swirled within him, eating away at him whenever it was given a chance to feed. 

"Did you call her Bonnie?" Henry wanted to know as he walked over to hold out his hand to Matt, pleased when the older man took it. "I'm Henry by the way." 

"The guy with the Terriermon right?" Matt said with a nod, liking the look of the kid, reminding him of Izzy for some reason. "And yeah, I did. It's an old joke between us. When we were kids the adults in our lives started referring to us as Bonnie and Clyde because of all the trouble we got ourselves into together. It stuck." 

) 

"So Rika, aren't you going to introduce us to your friend?" Theresa cooed as she came over with Umi, dragging a bemused Ryo behind her. 

"Not to you, no." Rika replied with a sugary sweet smile before giving the pom pom princess her back to give Matt her full attention. "So I take it you came to pick me up?" 

"Still such a sweet and well mannered girl I see." Matt said with a chuckle at the outrage on the blonde's face. Obviously Rika and this girl didn't get along at all. Then again Rika couldn't stand stuck up girlie girls and this girl had bimbo barbie written all over her. "And ya, I figured we could hang for a bit before heading back to your place. Gabumon's looking forward to seeing you too. I left him with Renamon in the D-World. By the way is it true I have to wear a uniform when I come here? Your grandmother said I have to go to school if I want to stay with you guys rent free. Stupid question I guess since you're wearing that unbelievably short skirt." 

"Shut up, Clyde." 


	2. Like Old Times

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the plot ideas displayed here and in other fics written by me. Thanks to all those who've been reading and reviewing, I very much hope that you continue to do so cause I love hearing from you guys ( ). Thanks again and I hope you enjoy this latest chapter. 

Like Old Times 

"You're going to be going to this school?" Alice said in surprise, not having expected that little curve. Rika was already acting weird, what was she going to be like if this guy was around long term? 

"Looks like, was in the principal's office before I came looking for Rika to make the arrangements. The guy made a lot of guff about coming in mid semester. Partly due, I think, to the fact that it was Rumiko putting in the word for me but we talked him into it. I start tomorrow." Matt said as he made a mock grimace though he didn't really mind. There were worse places to be that at school. "But it's okay, at least Rika's here to introduce me to people and stuff." 

"And why the hell would I want to do that?" Rika wanted to know as she looked at him with a what the hell are you thinking look on her face. For that matter who would she want to introduce him to? She was embarrassed to be seen with most of the idiots she hung out with when she hung out with anyone at all. 

"Because it's the nice thing to do?" 

"And when have I ever done anything just because it was the nice thing to do?" 

"Good point. I don't know what I could have been thinking even asking you that. Brain must have temporarily malfunctioned on me." Matt said with a wide grin on his face, not worried in the least about retribution. If she did try to hurt him there wouldn't be heat behind it. This was his Rika after all and no one knew her better. She'd wait till he wasn't expecting it and then hit him while he wasn't looking. "So aren't you going to introduce me to the rest of your friends? Or are you too rude to do even that?" 

"None of the other ones are here." Rika said dryly then with a sigh pointed to the people who had come with her but had yet to be identified. "Ryo, Theresa, Umi." 

) 

"Yo." Matt said as he raised a hand in greeting, his eyes interested as they centered on Ryo. He'd heard plenty of rants about this guy and of Rika's acquaintances he heard about this guy the most. "Ryo Akiyama right? I've seen you play the cards, you're pretty decent." 

"You play?" Ryo asked casually though his eyes were considering. He'd never in his life seen Rika happy to see anyone other then Renamon and some of the other digimon. They were the only friends she let close enough to her for her to act even remotely human and this guy was human and male which made it even stranger. Alice was Rika's best friend after Renamon and he couldn't even remember ever seeing the two girls hug. 

"Naw, I leave that to the Queen here." Matt said with a friendly hand on Rika's shoulder. "She trounced me so many times as a kid she put me off the game forever." 

"You weren't that bad." Rika said jokingly, allowing his hand to remain where it was which was more then a little shocking to the rest of the student body who'd seen time and again that Rika didn't want or like to be touched. Doing so could result in you needing to be touched up in the infirmary. "So anyway, wanna head, Matt?" 

"Yeah, sure. Nice to meet you all. I guess I'll be seeing you around school tomorrow." Matt said with a nod, waving good bye as he and Rika headed off leaving everyone behind to gap, gossip and wonder how they could have missed hell freezing over. 

"So this guy's a friend of Rika's from when she was a kid?" Ryo asked curiously as he looked over at Alice with a questioning look in his eyes. 

"I guess so, she's never mentioned him except in passing a couple times I think. I didn't recognize him since the few pictures I've seen of them together were from when they were younger." Alice said with a casual shrug, a thoughtful look on her face as she absently tucked some hair behind her ear. "He must be quite the guy if he's got permission to live with them. I can't see Rumiko having any problems with it but Rika's grandmother on the other hand... Well that would be another story." 

"Well those two seem to have more of a brother, sister thing going on." Henry pointed out, having been thinking along the same sort of lines. 

"True, but you just never know right?" Alice pointed out before saying her good byes as she headed off too, thinking that by tomorrow morning everyone would be just waiting to pounce on the new arrival. 

) 

After walking for a couple of blocks Rika and Matt ended up walking through a park, the weather a little windy but relatively clear and sunny. They'd just been chatting about this and that for a while when Matt suggested they sit down on some swings. Taking that as a sign that he was going to tell her what was going on Rika sat down and began to swing, looking over his way as he did the same. 

"You haven't asked." Matt said with faint amusement as he looked over at her too. "In the old days you'd have beaten it out of me by now." 

"Well this isn't the old days and I prefer to be unpredictable, it keeps people on their toes." Rika said as she swayed back and forth on the old swing. "And I figured if you want me to know what's up then you'll tell me. If not that's cool." 

"My dad's flavor of the week is moving in with him." Matt began, swaying too as he stared straight ahead at the various people passing by them. "Well not flavor of the week, she's had her talons into him for months now. I just wish she were only some bimbo coming in and out of his life." 

"Ah, the whole my parents will get back together someday syndrome?" Rika asked with an understanding look on her face as she stared straight ahead as well, understanding that he needed to do this his way. 

"Probably partly, I guess that hope will always be somewhere inside of me since I know..well I think that they do still love each other." Matt admitted ruefully, knowing how stupid that sounded. So he was still living in denial to some extent. So sue him, he could think whatever the hell he wanted. "Anyway this little blonde's got the intelligence of a real Barbie doll and I can't begin to tell you how annoying she can be, especially when she's got an audience. She even calls my dad all these stupid, lovey dovey names, which, to my complete disgust, he tolerates. I don't care how good a woman's built. She starts calling me her little love muffin she's out on her delectable ass." 

"Little love muffin?" Rika said with a snicker, trying to imagine anyone actually being able to call someone that with a straight face. The fact that she could see her mother doing it was both horrifying and nauseating. 

) 

"Yeah. She even called me sweetie and honey a couple of times." Matt said with a shudder, easily remembering how much he'd wanted to cut the idiot's head open just to prove to everyone that the idiot really didn't have a brain but ran on complete animal instinct. A really dumb animal like the dodo bird or something. "I was gonna try to tough it out, at least till the end of school when I found out that wasn't gonna be something I'd want to do." 

"Why not?" 

"Because my girlfriend was making out with my best friend." Matt said with a shrug, smirking when Rika went into a rant of mass proportions involving calling Tai and Sora so many four letter words and other such imaginative phrases that he had to applaud her creativity. When she wound down a little he continued. "They really aren't that bad. I knew that they had a thing for each other when we were younger, I thought it was over and I guess they did too so Sora and I hooked up. Guess it wasn't as over as we all thought." 

"I'm still gonna kick her scrawny little tomboy ass. When I get done with her they'll never be able to identify the body, they'll be too busy running tests to try and determine if she was once human." Rika said as she cracked her knuckles for emphasis. She'd only met Sora once but apparently she'd severely misjudged the girl. She'd be pushing up daisies instead of selling them when Rika was done with her. 

"I'd rather you not." Matt said with a shake of his head, wondering absently if she was capable of that. She just might be if it came to protecting or avenging someone she cared about. That was what differed her and him from most people. They saw their dark sides and weren't afraid to admit they had them. Oh did they ever have them. "Anyway Tai can have her, no skin off my back really. What do I want with a girlfriend who's got the hots for my best friend anyway? But since those two and my other friends were the main draw for staying there I thought I might as well make a break for it while the getting was good. Save on the dramatic accusations and teary scenes that could end with me throwing Tai out a window or into traffic. Whichever was handier at that moment." 

"But you're leaving all your other friends behind too and you weren't the one who did anything wrong." 

) 

"Well if I'd stuck around they'd have had to all play sides and I didn't want that. Especially since I have a feeling that they'd be more inclined to lean towards our former fearless leader's side." Matt said with a chuckle though it was more bitter then amused. "Everyone likes Tai, you can't help it even if you tried. Sora's pretty much the same way. Me, I'm not someone you get close to unless you really work at it. I doubt I'd have my closest friends if it weren't for bonds of battle that none of us can ignore. I can get all the friends I want, but the catch would always be that they'd be friends with the side of me they liked. Real friends, the ones that see the darkness in me..we'll they're rare. I think you're the only one who realizes just how close to the dark side I am. Good thing I don't have jedi powers, I'd have been the next Darth Vader." 

"And I would be your most willing padwan." Rika said with a chuckle though she knew he was serious. She knew just how often Matt came perilously close to becoming someone else, how close she herself had come over the years to being that person. Someone surrounded by the loathing, emptiness and cruelty of darkness. The tantalizing void of nothingness that offered them freedom from the pains and problems of their lives. But at a terrible cost. 

"Hey, I'm all for it just so you'd have to call me Master." Matt said as he forced a small smile in her direction before turning his attention back to the calm, blue sky. 

"The force is telling me to attempt to strangle you with the swing ropes." Rika replied with a faint smirk, trying to lighten the mood which she wasn't used to since usually she was the one people were trying to get to lighten up and relax.. "And that if I do so I will take your place as a jedi master. It is very tempting, Master Matt." 

"That is not the force speaking but the thoughts of the evil Emperor Principal. You must block out his voice, my young apprentice and concentrate only on the light. We must carry on our mission, to go to your house and convince your grandmother to let us have a snack before supper." Matt said in a grave voice as he hopped off the swing, holding his hand out to Rika with a faint smile on his lips. "Will you join me in this quest, my padwan?" 

"I shall join you, Master. And may the force be with us." Rika replied with a grin as she took his hand and hopping off the two headed off towards home, their hands linked the entire way there. 

) 

"Look, their they come." One girl squealed the next morning to her friends as she pointed towards the school entrance where the infamous Rika Nonaka was walking in with the gorgeous blonde from the other day. The two were talking and appeared to be as close as two peas in a pod. "Good god but he's gorgeous, what can he possibly see in Rika?" 

"Maybe it's a case of having a taste for bad girls." Another girl suggested as she and her friends all mentally wished they could be in Rika's place at the moment. They couldn't even go up to talk to the guy since lord only knew what Rika would do to them. 

"So that's the guy, huh?" Kazu said from his position of honor beside Ryo as they sat on one of the picnic benches to watch the hot girls go by them. "He's not so good looking." 

"So your blind as well as stupid." Alice said with a roll of her eyes. "Big surprise there. I'm surprised all the girls drooling over him aren't throwing themselves as his feet so he doesn't have to touch the ground." 

"He is, gorgeous." Jeri agreed, doing some staring of her own before noticing that her boyfriend was glaring at Rika's friend as a result. Her boyfriend was usually very friendly and good natured, in other words he was feeling a little left out and jealous which meant she'd have to soothe his ruffled feathers. Sliding her arm into his Jeri leaned her head against Takato's shoulder. "Of course he's not my type at all." 

"But he definitely could be Rika's." Kenta commented as he looked up from his math textbook for his own look. "You don't see her having an actual, participating conversation with anyone usually, much less with a guy. She must really like him to be making the effort to appear even remotely human." 

"You know if I told her you said that you'd end up face first in one of the garbage cans after an animal dissection again." Henry pointed out, not even wanting to think about that day. The sight of the things hanging off Kenta when they got him out was not one he wanted to remember. "And anyway she's known this guy for a long time, if their friendship lasted they must be pretty close." 

) 

"Hey." Rika called over then knowing her duty pointed to each of her friends in turn. "Four eyes is Kenta, geek with the hideous hat is Kazu. The two lovebirds are Takato and Jeri. The rest you know. Everyone, this is Matt." 

Various ways of saying hello coming from everyone Matt grinned and nodded. "Nice to meet you guys. My Gabumon's having a good time hanging with your digimon." 

"So you have a digimon too? That's cool." Jeri said with a bright and welcoming smile, always ready to make a new friend. "I hope you like coming to our school and welcome to the gang. Feel free to hang with us whenever." 

"Thanks, it's nice of you guys to let me hang with you. Seeing as I'm a year older then all you guys but Ryo I guess I won't have any classes with you but if you need help in science that's my best subject. If it's difficult math I'm the last person you want to go to." Matt said with a wink that had Jeri blushing a bright pink. 

"Well if you need help with your math Henry here is the person to go to." Alice said as she motioned towards Henry. "He's the brainiac of the group and he's taking advanced math so he's at your level there." 

"Quit calling me brainiac." Henry muttered as he sent Alice a dark look then something catching his eye winced slightly. "Jeri...couldn't you have told them to at least let the guy get settled before they descended upon him like the plagues of Egypt?" Coming towards them was Jeri's entire squad looking even more made up and un natural then usual. They hadn't wasted any time. 

) 

"Huh?" Jeri said with a puzzled look then following Henry's gaze had to wince a little. Even the ones who had boyfriends already had turned out to show off the goods. "Uh oh. Rika...please don't hurt them. We have a game tomorrow." 

"And that's ever stopped me before?" Rika pointed out with an icy cold look on her face as she watched the coming cheerleaders like a predator watching the unsuspecting prey walk unknowingly into her trap. Of course she was making no attempt to hide her intent, which was why the cheerleaders were slowing down with their come hither looks becoming weary and a little unsure. That's right, bimbos. Start running before I take you down and make you need the plastic surgeon again, Rika mentally thought, eyes almost dancing with anticipation. 

"Down girl." Matt said with a chuckle as he patted her on the shoulder. "Ladies, nice to meet you all." Matt added with a wave towards the girls, laying his hand on Rika's shoulder in a restraining hold as he nodded to the two he recognized from the day before. "Theresa, Umi. Nice to see you both again." 

"Hey, Matt." Umi said with her best baby doll smile, brave or stupid enough to walk closer so that she didn't have to yell to be heard. "How's it going so far?" 

"He just got here." Rika pointed out with sweet sarcasm. "He hasn't even had a class yet." 

"It's goin good so far." Matt replied, more then understanding Rumiko's comment about him being good for Rika since she needed to work on her social skills. Apparently Rika wasn't nice to anyone outside her small circle of friends and she wasn't even overly nice to them. "Thanks for asking." 

"Well if you need anything you just have to ask." Theresa said with a oh so friendly smile on her face that didn't sit well with Rika or Ryo for that matter. "After all I'm sure we'll see each other since we're in the same grade. I hope we're in a couple of classes together." 

"Since Matt's taking advanced in most of his that isn't likely." Rika pointed out cattily, pleased when the I'm so sweet and lovable look left Theresa's face for a moment before sliding back into place. Rika was surprised the idiot had even gotten the insult. Before she could play one of her favorite games, insulting Theresa and getting away with it, the bell sounded, warning them all to get their butts to class or else. 

) 

"Izzy!" 

"Izzy turned his head and saw Tai and Sora running towards him looking more then a little worried and upset. "Hey, guys." Izzy said as he stopped to let them catch up, a questioning look on his face since as far as he knew there was nothing to be worried about. "What's up? Something wrong?" 

"Have you seen or talked to Matt since Tuesday?" Sora asked as she came to a stop, leaning forward to brace her hands on her knees since she was a little out of breath. 

"Uhm no. He was absent yesterday though so maybe he's sick or something." 

"He's not. We called his dad last night and apparently he's gone. As in gone, gone. He left the apartment sometime Tuesday night and all he did was leave a note saying he was moving out and that he'd call some time." Tai said with a worried look on his face. "Did he say anything about to you about bailing?" 

"No. I mean he wasn't happy about that weather girl moving in but he didn't say anything about thinking about leaving." Izzy said with a confused look on his face. Matt wasn't the most responsible or thoughtful guy at times but this wasn't like him at all. Especially since he'd apparently left his best friend and girlfriend in the dark. "Why didn't he say anything to me?" Izzy muttered, crossing his arms in front of his chest as he puzzled over it. "I saw him that night, he was on his way to drop in on Sora to tell her about these concert tickets he'd landed for you guys. He seemed normal, and he didn't say anything about leaving." 

"He never came to my apartment on Tuesday." Sora said with an equally confused look on her face as she tried to figure this out.. Her mom had been home and she and Tai had arranged to study together and that's when they...oh no. She remembered her mom's surprise when she'd mentioned that Tai had been over and said something about Sora having had a visitor but that she'd been asleep so he'd left. Had her mom let Matt in and he'd... 

"Well that's where he was headed anyway." Izzy said with a shrug, completely missing the looks Tai and Sora were sharing over his head. "I guess your best bet would be calling T.K. about it. If Matt was leaving he'd have told T.K. no question." 

"We did. He doesn't know either." Tai said as he stared at the ground, not even seeing it. "Matt didn't tell anyone where he was going." 


	3. Learning from Mistakes

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the plot ideas displayed here and in other fics written by me. Thanks to all those who've been reading and reviewing, I very much hope that you continue to do so cause I love hearing from you guys . Thanks again and I hope you enjoy this latest chapter. 

BTW: If anyone knows the names or Matt's parents can they please tell me? If not I'll make them up but I thought I should ask just in case anyone knew. 

Learning from Mistakes 

T.K. could hear his parents arguing in the background while he sat in the living room, their voices carrying in from the kitchen. His mom was blaming Matt's disappearance on his dad and his dad was trying to defend himself without a lot of luck. No surprise there. T.K. had tried to tell his mother that he didn't think that it was Dad's fault but she hadn't wanted to listen. She needed someone to blame and his dad was her target of choice. Slumping low in his seat T.K. just wanted to yell at the both of them but that wasn't going to solve anything. That wasn't going to bring his brother back from where ever he'd gone. Something bad must have happened to his brother, for him to leave without telling him where he was going. Throughout everything that had happened in their family he'd always been able to count on his brother and Matt had to know what it would do to him not to know where he was. In other words the reason was a really big one. Getting to his feet T.K. wandered out of the room, aiming to get away from is parents as he walked down the hallway and turned into his brother's room. It was completely empty and Dad had said that whatever Matt hadn't taken with him had either been packed up or thrown into the garbage. T.K. didn't have to be told to know that his dad would have retrieved a lot of those items to be stored away till Matt came back. If Matt came back. Walking in T.K. sat down on the bare mattress and looked around the room, thinking how empty and bare it seemed. So lifeless without Matt in it. 

) 

"T.K.?" Came his mother's voice minutes later and T.K. looked over to see his mother in the doorway, a strained look on her face as she walked into the room. 

"Are we going?" T.K. asked as he got to his feet, wondering where his dad was and if he'd left without saying good bye too. Whenever his parents had argued in the past his mom had always looked like this and his dad had always left to walk it off. Personally he couldn't see the benefits in either case. 

"In a bit. Are you sure no one knows where Matt might have gone?" She asked, absently chewing on the bottom of her lip. She was scared and worried and didn't know what to do. All she wanted to do was curl up and cry but that wouldn't get her anywhere. Besides, she had to think of T.K. right now. 

"No one seems to know anything, mom. I called ever single friend I know and asked them to ask around with anyone they might know. So far no one knows anything and Izzy said he was fine the last time he saw Matt and odds are Izzy was the last to see him the night he left." T.K. Said with a helpless shrug, trying to be strong for his mom's sake. "Where's dad?" 

"He's in the kitchen talking to a friend of his on the police force. Since Matt took his motorcycle your dad thought maybe he could be traced that way. It's the least he can do since this is likely all his fault." 

"Quit blaming him, mom. You're just doing it because you need someone to blame and there's no one else." T.K. Said softly as he came over to set his hands on his mother's shoulders. "You know that Matt was cool about this girlfriend of Dad's moving in, he even said so. I don't know what drove Matt to leave but it's wrong to blame dad when there's no proof to say that dad had anything to do with this. Matt wouldn't want you to either." 

) 

"Izumi said that he can keep an eye out for the plates turning up in any report but that since the bike is Matt's there's really no excuse for wasting police hours looking for him." Came his father's voice and T.K. And his mom turned to look at him, T.K, thinking that his father looked like he'd aged twenty years since the last time he'd seen him. 

"Maybe we should file a missing person's report." T.K.'s mom suggested, trying to ignore how haggard and worn out her ex looked. How much older he looked since she'd finished taking out all her fears and worries on him the way T.K. Had said she had. 

"I can't see much point in it. Even if we did find him that's not going to make him want to come back here. We can't force him to, there wouldn't be a point in trying. He'll be eighteen soon enough and he's got enough money saved away to last a little while." 

"He's not stupid, he likely left here with some sort of plan. He's likely staying with someone he trusts and that he'll...someone he trusts." T.K. Said slowly as an idea began to form in his head. An idea of someone he'd forgotten to call but should have been on the top of his list. Someone who Matt would always turn to and counted on more then anyone else including Sora and Tai. "Rika." 

) 

"Who?" T.K.'s mom asked eagerly, looking at her son questioningly. Finally a possible lead, something to go on. Thank God. 

"Rika? Rika Nonaka? Rumiko's girl?" T.K.'s dad asked before T.K. could answer his mother. His son had had too many girl fans and friends over the years to remember but Rika was a name that always conjured up his son's oldest and most long term friend. "You think he might have called her?" 

"Who else would he call? He always calls her when he's got a problem and wants a second opinion. He's always saying that she's one of the few people in the world cursed to think just like he does." T.K. said with a smile slowly appearing on his face then faded just as quickly. "And I have absolutely no idea what her number is." 

"I think I still have her mother's number." His dad said and was gone from the room with his son and his ex at his heels. Hurrying into his bedroom he practically ripped out one of his drawers and flipping through it came to the N's and scrolled down until he found the number. He could only pray that this was an up to date number since he hadn't talked to Rumiko in years. Reaching for the phone he stopped then held it out to T.K.. "If she knows something and it was something I did...she might tell you the truth." 

Taking the phone with a nod T.K. watched his dad dial, listening to it ring before the voice of an older woman came on. "Uhm hello. Is Rika there, please?" 

"Hold on one minute, I'll get her." Rika's grandmother said as she set the phone down, wondering why Rika's friend hadn't called Rika on the girl's line. Calling for Rika to come to the kitchen the girl soon appeared with a questioning look on her face since it wasn't dinner time yet. "There's someone on the phone to speak to you." 

"Thanks grandma." Rika said as she took the phone, wondering who would be calling her on the home phone. "Hello? This is Rika." 

"Rika? I don't know if you remember me so well since it's been a couple of years but this is T.K., Matt's brother." T.K. said hesitantly, his parents nervously hovering over him which made him that much more nervous. 

"T.K.? Oh ya, hey. How's it going?" Rika said in surprise though she had a feeling she already knew the reason for the call. Smart kid to clue in to call her. 

) 

"I've been better. Look I don't mean to worry you or anything but something happen to Matt and he's kinda disappeared on all of us. I won't ask you to tell me where he is if you know but could you just tell me that he's okay and why he left? Was it something one of us did?" T.K. asked, hoping that she knew something and would trust him enough to give him a little information. His instincts were screaming that she knew plenty and he had learned long ago to trust those instincts. When you had parents who were involved in the media industry your instincts and hunches were bound to be more accurate then most. 

"He's okay and you and your parents didn't do anything if that's what you're wondering. Matt figured your mom would be on your dad with the guilt trip no matter what he could have said in a note." Rika said as she pulled up a chair to sit down on. 

"Well he was right. So why did he go? Did he get into trouble or something? Does he need money or anything because I can send stuff to you and you could send it to him if you won't give me his address." T.K. wanted to know, willing to do anything to help his big bro. Matt would do the same for him, no questions asked. 

"I kinda can't tell you about that but I can tell you that he's not in trouble with the law, owing money to anyone or anything like that." Rika said with a laugh, knowing that as an aspiring writer T.K.'s ideas of what could have happened were bound to be many and far more exciting and dangerous then the truth. "And I do stress that he's not mad at you, your dad or your mom. Oh and you can pass on to Sora that she's dumped in case she hasn't realized that." 

"But why would he dump Sora? He loves Sora." T.K. wanted to know, smart enough to click into the idea that this might be a clue. Had something happened between Matt and Sora? Had they had a fight? Sora hadn't said anything but maybe she hadn't thought it was as big a deal as Matt had. 

) 

"I don't think she'll be all choked up at the news. Anyway I've got homework to do and other stuff. Anything else I can do for you?" Rika wanted to know, her eyes having caught sight of Matt who'd come into the kitchen to get some juice. 

"No, thanks. That's it. Just tell him mom and dad are worried so call or something okay?" T.K. said with a small smile, remembering something Matt had said once. He'd said that he and Rika had decided that if their parents ever married someone they didn't liked they'd run off and live together by themselves. That Rika and him were two sides of the same coin and that no one understood them better so who better to live with. Matt was with Rika, he'd bet his life savings on it. 

"Will do." Rika agreed with a nod, thinking it must be nice to have a little brother like T.K.. The kid was smart, obviously cared and wanted to help enough not to try to push things. The world was still going to hell but at least there were a few good people in the world to make the time until then a little bit better. "Talk to you later, kid." 

"Bye." T.K. Agreed then hung up, seeing his parents looking at him expectantly. He was pretty sure he knew where his brother was but he couldn't tell them that. He couldn't tell them anything until Matt was ready to tell them himself. "He did talk to Rika and he's fine where he is. He told her that it was nothing we did that made him go away and he's not in serious trouble." 

"Do you think she knows where he is?" T.K.'s mom wanted to know, resting her hand on her son's shoulder. 

"If she does you wouldn't be able to get the information out of her with water torture." T.K.'s dad said with a shake of his head. "I may not have seen her in years but that little lady is hard to forget. She's meaner then a rattler and as loyal as can be. She'd cut off her arm for Matt and he'd do the same." 

) 

"Who was that on the phone?" Matt asked as he came over with a glass of orange juice in his hand. 

"Your little brother actually." Rika said as she got out of her chair, not surprised to see the shock on his face. "Your brother isn't a straight A student for no reason, Matt. I think he made the connection but isn't going to tell anyone about it." 

"No, he wouldn't." Matt agreed with a slight frown. But the knowing and not telling would eat at the always valiant and right doing T.K.. He knew he could trust his brother not to spill but his brother was going to feel guilty as hell about it. 

"He asks that you call your mom and dad and let them know that you're okay. My guess is they're likely taking this badly and taking it out on each other and the kid." Rika said as she went over to the fridge to get a glass of juice for herself. "Just call them when you know they'd be at work and leave a message. That way you don't have to answer questions or talk to them period. It's what I do whenever I want to tell my mom something." 

) 

"Yeah, I guess that would be an okay idea." Matt said after chugging down the rest of his juice. "I don't want the kid taking heat for something I did and if I'm really firm on the whole it's not their fault my mom should back off on the whole out for my dad's blood thing." 

"You'd think you're parents would have grown out of the whole spousal bashing deal. My parents can speak to each other civilly." Rika said with a shake of her head as she sipped her juice thoughtfully. "Then again my parents got married because of me and not out of love or anything. I guess there's more pain and ties to deal with when you actually wanted to get married and make it work." 

"I've long given up trying to figure my parents out. It's too much of a headache." Matt said as he walked over to set his used glass into the sink. "They're both good people, they were a good couple who loved each other but couldn't make it work." 

"Which just goes to prove my point that marriage is a useless and expensive trap meant to enslave women and force people to reproduce with the same person." Was Rika's firm opinion as she set her glass in with his, the two heading out of the kitchen so that they didn't get in Rika's grandmother's way. "There's nothing good to say about the business of marriage." 

"All the presents you get as gifts?" 

"Most of which you never want and are given to you by relatives who have either no taste or hate you and therefore want to saddle you with useless junk you have to keep because they'll somehow know if you don't." Rika said with a shrug as she turned into her room, Matt right behind her as the two sat down in beanbag chairs to continue the argument, just for the hell of it. They had nothing better to do after all and it was bound to get interesting. 

) 

"The extra help raising the kids?" Matt suggested, settling in for what was sure to be an interesting debate even if he did have to be on the pro side. "After all if you're married the guy at least has to contribute somewhat to the expenses and lend an occasional hand. Guy's not tied down it's a lot easier for him to make like Tom and Cruise." 

"True, not that the man who contributed sperm to cause my creation really contributed much of anything when he was married to my mother." Rika said, willing to concede his point. "I mean he spent more on a lawyer to get away from us then he contributed to bill paying." 

She never calls him dad, Matt thought absently. Never father or pop or anything that signified he had in any way, shape or form been a father figure. "True in your case but while my parents were together they made the effort to share the tasks when they were around. Plus when you marry someone you've got a bitching partner at your disposal." 

"Which leads to divorce," Rika pointed out dryly, thinking of all the arguing and fighting she'd seen adults do over the years. Especially with their spouses. "and the kids either being split up or stuck with one parent while never seeing the other. Like that's such a great idea. If it weren't for the need to repopulate I'd make it a law that you can't have kids till your thirty. At least that was you have some sense and if you've stayed together with one person then maybe you're up to taking care of something more complicated then a puppy." 

) 

"Not necessarily, plus you want to be young enough to enjoy your kids. I mean just because our parents never could seem to put their careers aside for more then ten minutes doesn't mean the rest of the population is like that. You're just jaded." 

"And you aren't?" Rika pointed out sweetly. Sure Matt was a little better then her about the whole idea of the world going to hell but not by a lot. 

"True but I at least believe there are people out there who can and will make it work. Like my little brother for instance. he's smart, caring and an all around decent person. I can see him married happily with kids no problem. And even if his marriage did fall apart I know he'd be there for the kids, no question." 

"True but he's been put through the divorce ringer before with your parents. You been through that I think you'd be a bit wiser when it came to your kids turn at bat." Rika pointed out as absently stretched out her arms a bit. "I mean that's the whole point right, to learn from the mistakes of other idiots so you don't screw up as badly as they did." 


	4. Shared Past

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the story lines. I very much apologize for how long this has taken, due to circumstance writing this summer was not an option. Thanks to those who wrote words of encouragement and I hope you enjoy.

Shared Past

Matt sat on the back porch, watching the sunrise. He was in a reflective mood at the moment as he inhaled the silent beauty around him. Soon Rika's grandma would wake up and begin breakfast, Rika coming down shortly after. Rumiko would stumble down eventually too, Matt thought with a small smile on his lips. The woman hadn't gotten in till pretty late and given the noise hadn't been entirely sober as she'd made her noisy way to bed. They might not even see her till noon or after. Then again according to Rika the woman bounced back from this sort of thing easily enough. Taking a sip from the bottle of water he'd brought with him he pictured Rumiko the first time he'd seen her. It had been at the movie audition for some movie that hadn't gone anywhere due to bad acting and a lousy script. Even a good director hadn't been enough to salvage it. He'd been there because his mother hadn't been able to get a sitter and so he'd been dragged along while she did a segment on the auditions. Rumiko had been there because she'd known the director and had gotten the crazy idea of having Rika audition.

* * *

Past

"Come on, Matt." Nancy Ishida huffed, giving her son's arm a quick pull. "This will just take an hour or so and then we're off."

We were supposed to be spending the day together was what Matt wanted to say but he simply let her drag him through the crowds. He didn't get to see his mother often and it was really annoying that they were going to spend their time at some stupid movie audition. Twenty minutes later he'd been sat down on a chair, ordered to stay put and then deserted. All of eight years old he was far from pleased and looked it.

"You better be careful or your face will stick that way. It's bad enough at it is." Came a female voice and Matt looked over to see a girl about his age, dressed in a really weird dress and smirking at him.

"At least my hair isn't in pigtails, not to mention that ugly dress." Matt shot back. The dress was pink with lace, ruffles and a teddy bear design. It scared him a little in face.

"Hey, I didn't ask to look like this you know." The girl shot back, sending him a peeved look now. "My mom made me wear this. Do you think anyone with any brains would willingly be caught dead in this thing?"

"Good point." Matt had to agree. "So why are you here?"

"My mom knows the director of this lousy movie. She said that if I tried out for one of the roles I'd get to pick out what I get to wear for the next week plus get a new pack of cards." The girl explained, taking a seat beside him. "She's off flirting with one of the actors so I decided to walk around, maybe miss my turn. I'm Rika by the way. Who are you? Are you here to try out too?"

"Naw, as if. Well my mom mentioned it but I told her no way was I gonna blow my summer for something so stupid. My name's Matt, my mom's a reporter and so is my dad. She's here covering this thing for her studio. She's here somewhere."

"Ditched you here, huh? My mom's always doing that when she's working too." Rika said with an understanding look on her face. And since she was bored and he seemed okay she decided to let him in on a little secret she'd found out. "Hey..are you hungry?"

"A little, we were supposed to get something to eat first but mom got behind schedule. Why?" Matt wanted to know, noticing the gleam in her eyes. She was up to something and odds were that something was no good. Sounded like his sort of fun. "And how old are you anyway?"

"Seven. I know where they have food set aside for the director and the other head guys here. Wanna go sneak some? Unless you're scared of getting caught that is." Rika added with her cocky smirk firmly back in place.

"Hell no. Let's go."

* * *

Present

"Hey, where were you?" Rika wanted to know as she elbowed Matt affectionately in the side from her spot beside him. "You've been staring off into space forever."

"Hmm? Oh hey..uhm how long have you been there?" Matt asked with a laugh as he smiled at her sheepishly. Boy he must have been out of it. He hadn't even heard her approach, much less sit down.

"Couple minutes. So where were you?" Rika wanted to know, her undone hair blowing with the faint morning breeze. It was rather chilly out and unfortunately she'd forgotten to grab a jacket. "You had the stupidest smile on your face. It was rather freaky." Rika added with a smirk. "Dreaming about some girl?"

"Just thinking about the day we first met. I've sworn off dating for at least the first few weeks." Matt replied with a devious wink. "Do you remember how we snuck into that trailer and gorged ourselves on all those pastries?" Matt chuckled, knowing that she did even before she nodded. "And then we got caught by that assistant who drag us over to the director and other guys to apologize."

"And our moms came running over to yell at us and we were so busy trying to pretend we weren't scared out of our wits that we tried to talk our way out of it." Rika said with a rueful shake of her head. "And then I got into a yelling match with mom and you tried to charm your way out of it. I still can't believe that we ended up being in a movie together as our punishment."

"Well you have to call that a creative punishment, even if it did backfire." Matt pointed out. "I mean we had the time of our lives making that movie and by the time filming was over our English was like perfect. I still say our director was an idiot to risk his whole movie by casting two kids in major supporting roles when they had to speak in a language that wasn't their first. I mean we both were pretty good already thanks to our upbringings but still. We had to take grueling English lessons in between takes to make sure we pronounced everything right!"

* * *

"Well that's what you get when you're dealing with Hollywood directors. They come to Japan on a holiday to visit friends before you begin your own movie and you end up casting two unknown, basic English speaking kids for two of the roles." Rika added with a smirk. "I can still remember our mothers' faces when the director asked them if the way we were acting was how we normally were. No one likes to admit their kids are brats."

"We weren't brats. We were a product of our generation and environment." Matt corrected with a crooked grin. "And hey, that movie was a blockbuster hit as you'll recall. Not to mention the fact that I've never had to take English since I speak it better then any of the teachers."

"True, it was always nice to have that period free for something else." Rika agreed. Since Matt's mom's first language had been English it had only been natural for her to teach her kids and Rika's own grandfather had taught languages at a university. She'd inherited his ability to pick languages up easily and was quite accomplished herself though she never really used any of them since that wasn't a career she was interested in.

"And you have to give that director credit. He came up with a punishment that benefited our moms and him. They got paid to send us to America to be in his film, we got a so called learning experience and he got two kids who were exactly like the character roles they were supposed to play. Not to mention the fact that said kids were both indebted to him for saving them from their mothers' wrath."

"Yeah. If the idea of having her kid in a movie, a Hollywood movie at that hadn't blown my mother away I would have so been sent to boarding school for that little stunt to add to my growing list of stunts." Rika added, hugging her knees against herself since it wasn't exactly warm outside. "She was so thrilled with the idea she completely forgot to even lecture me."

"My mom didn't but then my mom rarely misses a trick. I think the only reason I got to go was that it got me out of my dad's hair for the whole summer so that he didn't have to worry about hiring someone to watch me. Hell he was getting paid to let someone else watch me." Matt added with a thoughtful look on his face. "Now how could any parent pass up on a deal like that?"

* * *

"True enough. Of course my grandmother came along to supervise so it wasn't like we had a lot of opportunity to cause mischief." Rika said after a moment, wondering just how much Matt had minded being shanghaied into leaving Japan and his family behind. He'd acted like it was some big adventure then but really, was that how he'd thought of it..or how he wanted everyone to think he did? She'd viewed it as a summer without her mom and her mom's lifestyle. In other words she'd been glad to go. Then again from what Matt had told her about summers after the movie when it had been just him and his dad...well maybe he had wanted to go as much as he'd said. Being stuck in some apartment with a paid stranger while your dad worked wasn't any kid's dream summer.

"Yeah, your grandmother has eyes like a hawk. All she'd have to do is give us that look and we'd want to tell her everything we'd done even remotely bad that day." Matt added, recalling the experience fondly. He'd been scared in the beginning but Rika's grandmother had pretty much adopted him from day one. She and Rika had made him feel like he was with family even though all his real family was countries away. Unlike Rika's mother and grandmother his parents and brother couldn't have afforded to visit whenever, even if they'd wanted to. His mom would have had her hands full with work and T.K. and his dad with work and what little social life his dad had. He didn't call his parents workaholics for nothing.

* * *

"We should head in and get dressed if we're going to the Digital World today. If we stay out here in our pajamas any longer we're bound to catch something and get stuck in bed all day. I don't know about you but one of my grandmother's herbal remedies is not something I want to consume any time soon if it's all the same to you." Rika said as she got to her feet gracefully before holding her hand out to him, tugging him up when he took it. "Any idea what breakfast is by the way?"

"Nope but no matter what it is it'll likely be ten times better then either of us could ever cook out." Matt pointed out as they headed in, their hands still linked as they headed down the hallway that led to their rooms.

"I've gotten better." Rika argued for the sake of arguing as they came to a stop in front of her room, letting his hand go. "See ya in ten to twenty."

"See ya." Matt agreed and headed for his own room to shower and change. Back out in fifteen he found Rika's grandmother in the kitchen, making up breakfast with the radio quietly playing some old tune he didn't recognize. "Morning." Matt called over as he talked to her, placing a kiss on her cheek in the hopes of getting extra servings of whatever smelled so good. "Smells good."

"Don't worry, I do remember how much a growing man eats." Rika's grandmother said with a faint blush to go with her pleased smile. Matt was such a sweet boy, it was so nice to have him around. She wanted to ask why he'd needed to come here but Rumiko hadn't even given her a hint. Then again it would have been like her girl to let the boy stay without bothering to ask. Matt's parents hadn't called here yet which worried her. Did they even know where he was? She was going to have to have a talk with her daughter about that as soon as the girl got herself out of bed. Pushing those thoughts aside until she could speak to Rumiko she expertly flipped one of her pancakes. "I made more then enough for everyone." She added when she noticed how Matt was eyeing the pancakes. The boy was never too full that he couldn't eat more, she thought with an inner chuckle.

* * *

"Such a jewel. I should steal you and we can live the rest of our lives happily in a villa on the south of France." Matt said with a wink.

"It would serve you right if I believed any of the nonsense you like to spread, you charming rascal." She replied, shaking her finger at him as her granddaughter came wandering in.

"Trying to convince you to marry him and run off to Bora Bora again?" Rika inquired as she walked over to the kitchen table to snag an apple. "When are you going to learn that my grandmother is perfectly aware that she could do so much better then you, Matt. I mean rally. She's so out of your league."

"Doesn't stop me from trying. After all I'll never find better." Matt said with a flirty look in the lady in question's direction, causing the older woman to blush even more.

"You know...some people would have a problem with a friend only a year older then them flirting with that person's grandmother." Rika said before biting into her apple to chew a rather large piece.

"But that's what's so great about you, Rika. You're so much bigger then that." Was Matt's cheeky reply.

"Hush, the both of you. Now come sit down and eat."

"YES, MA'AM!" Was Matt's reply.

* * *

"So this Matt, hmm?" Yamaki said a couple hours later as he looked over the young mad standing beside Rika. Or lounging would likely be the better word, Yamaki thought to himself. He'd already reviewed all available information on the young tamer before him who would now be using his facility to transfer to the Digital World.

"Sir." Matt said with a polite bow of his head. He knew making a good impression was key in order to be able to access the Digital World without too many problems. There were other ways of course but this would be the safest and easiest. Using his device wouldn't guarantee he went where he wanted to go necessarily.

"I understand you've already transferred your digimon to our sector?" Yamaki asked though he was already perfectly aware that the digimon was even now with the other Tamers' digimon. By now they understood the Digital World well enough to know that there were layers to it and that depending on the person they only had access to certain layers unless they had the help of data streams. Even though they couldn't police the people who entered the world they could get a general sense of who was there and insure that they didn't cause any problems. Many sectors who's job was similar to Hypnos employed Tamers to patrol the areas as Hypnos did with its original Tamers.

* * *

"Yes, I brought Gabumon with me. He's been given orders to stick close to Renamon until he learns the area." Matt said with his most charming smile. He likely should have waited for permission but he hadn't wanted Gabumon around for the others to question before Matt had permission for the transfer. "I hope you don't mind."

"Well he hasn't been causing any problems that we know about. Renamon will be keeping him well in line as you said." Yamaki said, imagining that the fox digimon would be a hard teacher, not to mention disciplinary. "Your D Arc will need to be altered to work for our sectors."

"Actually I still have a digi-vice." Matt said as he removed it from his pocket and held it out for Yamaki's inspection.

"A digi-vice? I've heard of them but they're very rare." Yamaki said in surprise, taking the device to look over thoroughly before returning it. "Most that started as one have naturally converted over time, once the tamer reached a certain level in the Digital World. Have you had your digimon long?"

"Since I was a kid. I was in the group that were the first humans to ever enter the world." Matt said with a faint smirk. "You guys weren't regulating it then. You won't have any record of it."

"You're right. Though there have been reports as far as records go MY Tamers were the first." Yamaki said with a grudging now. They had learned of course from the digimon in the Digital World that his tamers hadn't been the first humans to cross over. He just hadn't known that this young man was one of those children. Or former children since the man before him was a year older then Yamaki's original tamers. "Well then..I guess you'll be wanting to see how your digimon is doing. Follow me."


	5. Past Phantoms

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but my original characters and messed up plot idea Everything else belongs to somebody else who isn't me. Thanks to all those who've been reading and please review, I love to hear from you. Thanks.

Past Phantoms

Arriving in the Digital World it didn't take Rika and Matt long to find their way into the valley where most of the Tamers digimon hung out with each other. They were free to wander of course but they preferred to remain in that area in case someone came to visit. Making their way down the slight hill that led into the valley they were both amused to see that the digimon appeared to be playing hide and go seek since Geomon was currently lifting up big rocks, seemingly surprised when he didn't find anyone under them. He was calling come out, come out, where ever you are but of course no one was answering. Catching the scent of Rika and someone unknown the red digimon looked over and waving wildly rushed over to ask if they'd seen any of the other digimon. "Sorry, we didn't." Rika said with a smile, amused as always by the dimwitted but lovable nitwit. "Matt, this is Takato's Geomon. Geomon this is Matt."

* * *

"Your Gabumon's best friend!" Geomon declared, beaming at Matt. "He's been really worried about you but we told him that if you were with our friends there was nothing to worry about! He's around here somewhere. We're playing hide and go seek and I'm it!"

"I can see that." Matt said with a smile, absently thinking that Takato's partner was a hell of a lot like the googlehead. "So what's say Rika and I help you find the others?"

"That would be cheating." Geomon said gravely, shaking his head so fast that he got a bit dizzy. "But thanks for offering, Matt."

"Well then see about finding him for me, okay?" Matt said just as gravely, charmed by the digimon. When Geomon made himself even more dizzy by nodding his agreement Matt had to laugh and that was a surprise. He hadn't expected to really laugh anytime soon. Entertained he and Rika took a seat on the grass and waited while Geomon went back to looking in places where no one in their right mind would expect to find a digimon.

The other digimon getting so frustrated with him it wasn't long before they practically threw themselves in front of Geomon so that they could be caught which meant they could come over to meet Gabumon's tamer. In no time Matt was surrounded by digimon, just not the one that he was looking for. Finally Geomon came running back with Gabumon and Renamon close on his heels. "I found him for you, Matt!" Geomon called out, stopping to catch his breath while Gabumon raced forward to throw himself into a startled Matt's arms.

* * *

"Hey, buddy." Matt said as he wrapped his arms around his digimon, returning the unexpected show of affection. He wasn't what you'd call a touchy feely person but he guessed he'd looked like he'd needed a hug. Maybe he did, Matt thought with a small smile as he pulled away to get a look at his friend. "So..what do you think of this place, pal?"

"I like it just fine. How are you?" Gabumon wanted to know since in his mind that was the question that most needed to be asked and answered. Matt looked fine but that didn't mean anything. Matt had more masks then a theater group and he wore them seamlessly.

"I'm good. In danger of Rika's grandmother turning me into a blimp with all this home cooking but otherwise good." Matt said, lifting a hand to ruffle the fur on his buddy's head, reading his digimon easily. "No need to worry. Rika's keeping a close eye on me for you."

Remembering his manners Gabumon looked over to where Rika was talking to the fierce Renamon. He'd only met Rika a few times but she'd always been nice enough and more importantly good for Matt. Matt was always lighter after a visit with Rika. Renamon on the other hand sort of intimidated him. She may have been beautiful but she was also a major butt kicker, just like her tamer and not an easy person to get to know. "Hi, Rika. Nice to see you again."

* * *

"Hey, Gabumon. Getting along okay with this bunch?" Rika asked in the process of unzipping the backpack she'd brought along with her.

"Yes, they've made me quite welcome." Gabumon agreed, smiling at her. The truth was he missed his old friends terribly but this had been his choice and he was making new friends. Matt had told him he could stay with the others if he'd wanted to but he'd chosen to come with Matt and he stood behind that choice. Wherever Matt went he would go as long as he could. Matt was his best friend and whether his human friend knew it or not Matt needed him.

"Yeah, he's really fun to play with!" Calumon declared, jumping up and down beside Rika now that she was opening her pack. Rika always brought him and the others treats when she came to visit.

"We're taking good care of him." Lopmon added.

* * *

The next week of school went pretty well all things considering but the beginning of big trouble to come came in the form of a sheet of paper posted outside the high school cafeteria. The title of the flyer catching his eyes Matt walked over and reading it raised an eyebrow over it's contents. "Hey, Rika. Check this out. You aren't going to believe this."

"What is it and why am I not going to believe this?" Rika asked as she walked over to his side, reading the flyer he pointed to. "Oh dear God no. You have got to be kidding me."

"What is it?" Takato wanted to know, the two blocking his view so that he couldn't see what they were looking at. "Did someone post up something bad?"

"That psycho crazy theater teacher seems to think that this school is talented enough to put on a production of The Phantom of the Opera. What is she, stupid? She's got to be completely out of her mind to think that there is anyone in this school capable of playing minor roles in the musical, much less the leads. Our choir is enough to make Beethoven turn in his grave for Christ sakes." Rika said as put her hands on her hips. "I mean it would be too painful to watch even as a comedy!"

* * *

"What's that play about again?" Jeri asked, biting back a defense of the choir since they really were pretty awful.

"Basically it's about a man who's horrible disfigured on one side of his face at birth. He wears a half mask to hide it and lives in a theater in Paris where he meets a singer named Christine who he falls in love with. He becomes her music teacher but she ends up falling for this other guy. The phantom doesn't take this well and they fight over her and in the end the other guy gets the girl." Matt explained, trying to simplify it as much as possible. "I personally always thought it wasn't the greatest ending but the music is amazing."

"And that's why you think it's a bad thing that we're doing this production." Henry guessed as he read over Rika's shoulder. "Because it's so music oriented."

"We don't have anyone in this school that's talented enough for the two leads." Rika explained, shaking her head at the very idea of anyone in her school trying to pull off the roles of Christine or the Phantom. "Only someone with professional voice training and a great deal of skill should even try out for either role. The drama teacher must have been inhaling some foreign substance when she came up with this stupid idea. Whoever's in this is going to be laughed off the stage."

* * *

"It might not be that bad." Jeri said weakly, something in her voice cueing Rika in to look at her friend questioningly. "I kinda already told a friend I'd try out with her." Jeri added weakly, looking more then a little unsure now. "Will it really be that bad?"

"Unless you have two people here with a lot of talent in both drama and music it doesn't look good, kiddo." Matt said with a shake of his head. "I know this play and unless you've got the talent and the means it will fall flat no matter how good some of the lesser roles might be. This play is literally carried on the backs of the two title roles. Without them the show really can't go on."

"Hey, Matt, you sing. Why don't you try out?" Alice teased, elbowing him teasingly in the side as she smirked up at him.

"Thanks but I think I'll skip on that delightful descent into madness." Matt said with a chuckle as he lightly bumped his hip against hers. "This show is gonna have to rise and fall without my help. I'll definitely come to cheer you on though, Jeri." He added, giving the girl an encouraging smile since she looked more then a little nervous about the whole idea now. "What role were you going to try out for?"

"Well Medea wanted me to try out as one of the dancing girls with her." Jeri said nervously, fiddling with her back pack strap. "Is that a bad thing?"

"Not at all." Matt assured her, walking over to sling an arm around her shoulder. "You'd be good in that role seeing as you're into dance, plus you're a cheerleader which means you're used to moving in time with music and others."

* * *

"So you don't think that this musical has any chance at all of working do you?" Came a stern, female voice that had everyone turning with varying degrees of dread to see the new drama teacher behind them. A still attractive woman in her fifties she'd once been a famous actress before she'd retired to train the next generation as she'd told it. In Rika's opinion the woman had just finally realized she wasn't that great and had gotten out of the business before it hit everyone that her looks were what had carried her as far as she'd gotten. Now she was trying her hand at their school with mixed results. She knew what she was doing but it was well known around the school that she expected award winning performances from everyone from leads to one liners.

"Pretty much." Rika said smartly, not about to kiss up to some idiot who was preparing to destroy Rika's grandmother's favorite play and one that Rika was fond of too. "You're crazy to think that you can pull this off."

"Is that so? And what would you know about it, Miss Nonaka is it?" Himeno Mido asked sweetly, with a hint of steel disguised in that velvety voice as she met Rika's eyes. She'd heard about the legendary Rika Nonaka when she'd first arrived and had been told she was lucky the girl never involved herself in the arts. But apparently the little hellion thought she could none the less comment on something she obviously knew nothing about.

* * *

"It would be and I know plenty, Miss Mido." Rika shot back just as sweetly though unlike Himeno she made not even the slightest effort to hide the steel undertone. "I know that you're going to be ruining one of the greatest musicals ever performed on the stage and that you couldn't pay me enough to come see this monstrosity. I would have thought that someone who once lived and breathed the theater would have more respect for it."

"Rika!" Jeri hissed, fear in her eyes. Oh God, not another fight with a teacher. Rika's record could only take so many more of these before the principal gave up and simply kicked Rika out.

"What she means to say is that you've undertaken an enormous undertaking with a play of this caliber and magnitude." Matt said charming, putting a restraining hand on Rika's shoulder. "I'm sure someone of your talents would have no problem performing any role in this particular production but perhaps it's a bit too much for this school to handle."

"So you think that it can't be done then." Himeno stated carefully, her eyes flashing dangerously. If that girl weren't a student..the girl wouldn't be looking so smugly superior, that's for sure. Well there were other ways to put both of these students in their places. "Well in that case maybe both of you should do what you can to see that it does succeed."

* * *

"Come again?" Rika said, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. She had a bad feeling about this.

"You'll both be trying out for this play." The teacher informed them, a smile crossing the teacher's face that wasn't exactly nice. In fact it was almost feral. "After all since you two are both so concerned about this then it's only right that you do whatever you can to make this a success. Since this play seems to mean so much to the both of you."

"Ah no, we won't be." Rika said bluntly, looking at the teacher like the woman had lost what little marbles Rika had thought her to have in the first place. "You do know that participation in any extracurricular activity is completely voluntary. You can't make us be a part of this."

"Well I think with your record you're going to want to. Unless you want me to go to the principal about your disrespectful behavior." Was the teacher's oh so smugly sweet response. The too cool for everyone Rika Nonaka was going to be taken down more then a few pegs before she was done with her, Himeno thought darkly. They'd just see how tough the girl was when she was up on stage in front of her fellow students, forced to sing and act. The girl would make a total fool of herself.

* * *

"Do you know how bad my permanent record is right now? One more complaint, especially something so minor isn't really going to make even a small dent in it." Rika pointed out coldly, not intimidated in the least. "Go ahead and make your complaint, see if I care."

"And you?" Himeno asked, looking over at the utterly gorgeous blonde who'd tried to smooth things over. He'd be an asset to her production if for no other reason then he was stunning to look at. If he could sing she could definitely use him. She might even forgive him for underestimating her abilities if he was any good.

"I'll have to pass too. I'm new here so I might as well start out with a small dent and work my way up to something big." Matt said with a devilish wink, ever the lady charmer. "But thanks for the offer."

"Well then..I'll just see about encouraging you both to change your minds." Was her reply before turning on her heels and heading off in the direction of the principal's office, her mind full of ideas that would have had both Matt and Rika considering hiring someone to kidnap the woman and pour her into a vat of cement, never to be seen or heard from again.

* * *

Meanwhile

Off by himself T.K. sat on the grass on his school grounds, deep in thought as he leaned his back against a sturdy tree. He'd been racking his brain, trying to figure out what might have happened with his brother and what he was coming up with wasn't good. Not good at all. Damn it but why hadn't Matt come to him, T.K. thought darkly, running a hand through his blonde hair in agitation. If Matt had come to him then maybe they could have figured something out that would have let Matt stay, to work things out with everyone. Then again if he'd been in Matt's shoes he would have wanted to get the hell out of here too.

"T.K..?"

Looking over T.K. saw his girlfriend Kari looking over at him, he hadn't even heard her coming. "Hey." T.K. replied, lifting a hand in greeting. "What's up?"

Taking a seat beside her boyfriend Kari leaned her head against his shoulder. "Tai did something, didn't he? He and Sora did something that made Matt go away. You can tell me you know, I won't get mad just because Tai's my brother...because Matt's your brother too."

"Yeah, that's what I think too." T.K. said with a sigh, leaning his head against hers for comfort. "I wanna think differently but watching those two..they're looking way too guilty about something. They're avoiding each other like a plague right now but I'd lay money that all that unfinished business between them finally reared its ugly head and somehow that slapped back at Matt. Hard enough to make him leave and break up with her."

"He isn't eating or sleeping well, Tai I mean." Kari said with a sigh of her own. "I tried to talk to him but he won't talk to me about it. I don't think he's talked to anyone but Agumon and I'm not sure if he's even told him the whole story. I don't know if I want to hear the whole story because I think if I do..then I'm going to have to choose between my love and loyalty for my brother and the fact that I think he's done something terrible, Sora too."

"And I think that's exactly why Matt left." T.K. said softly, turning his head to kiss the top of her head. "He wanted to keep us from having to pick sides. Problem is..I don't think we can not in the end. Eventually the truth is going to come out..no matter what anyone wants. When it does..Pandora's box is going to be wide open."


	6. Battle Brewing

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the weird situations I put them in. Everything else belongs to someone else and that is the way it's going to stay unfortunately. Anyways thanks for reading and have a great day!

Note to Alan: Here you haven't been reviewing any for months, worrying me and then you write a one sentence review telling me I spelled a name wrong! That's so...so you lol.

Battle Brewing

Rika and Matt had pretty much forgotten about the confrontation with the drama teacher by the time they'd gotten home from school. Stowing their back packs in their rooms they trooped in to eat the snacks Rika's grandmother had made for them then headed outside to do some weed pulling. Of course neither of them enjoyed the task but they weren't about to let her grandmother do it, especially with her bad back. Once that was over they came back inside just in time to meet up with Rumiko who sent them both a scalding look that had them stopping in their tracks. "What? We aren't that dirty." Rika said defensively, sensing a fight brewing as she hunched her shoulders instinctively.

"I got a call from your principal AGAIN today, Rika." Rumiko said darkly, crossing her arms in front of her as she stared at her daughter.

"You're joking." Rika protested, looking rather like someone had just whacked her upside the head. "You can't be serious. All we did was tell the drama teacher that she was biting off more then she could chew thinking the idiots at our school could pull off her pet project. I didn't even swear at her!"

"Well it appears that she took a great deal of exception to what was said regardless of how you and Matt said it. The principal also informed me that both of you were given the option of trying out for the musical rather then getting yet another mark on your record. How do you expect to get into a good school, how do you expect to graduate for that matter with your permanent record growing at this rate, Rika?" Rumiko demanded to know.

* * *

Rika's face going hard and cold it was a really good thing that said drama teacher wasn't in the room because Matt could see her easily borrowing one of her grandmother's kitchen knifes and going to work turning Rumiko and the teacher into a stir fry with principal on the side. "She really didn't say anything wrong, Rumiko." Matt hurried to say before Rika said something to get her in even deeper water. "I was there and the teacher just didn't like being told the truth, that was it."

"Regardless you are going to be at that audition, Rika." Rumiko informed her daughter, holding up her hand to silence her daughter before Rika could tell her where to put that idea. "You will go and you will audition or you will not only get that mark on your record but I will seriously reconsider my financial help when it comes time for you to go to university. We both know that you don't get access to your trust fund or the money you earned as a child until you're over twenty. All I want is for you to try out, not to be part of the production. I think that's little enough to ask."

Biting on her bottom lip so hard she was surprised it didn't start bleeding Rika nodded stiffly then left the room in a hurry before she gave into the urge to show her mother just what she thought of her mother's suggestion. She couldn't afford to give Rumiko what was coming to her, at least not yet anyway. But there would come a day when she'd be free of her mother forever and then she'd never have to see her again. For her grandmother's sake she'd stick around until she could leave for university but as soon as that day came she was gone. Never, ever to return.

* * *

Watching Rika's retreating form Matt turned to look at Rumiko then shaking his head turned to follow her out. Rumiko just didn't get Rika and he was very much afraid sometimes that Rumiko's misunderstanding about her daughter and vice versa would end up creating a gap neither of them could ever cross. Even if they wanted to.

"I can't tell you to go to this audition, Matt. I'm not your guardian and seeing as Rika behaves better when you're around I'd be an idiot to threaten to kick you out. But I'd consider it a favor if you would, she'll feel better about it if you were there with her." Rumiko called out after him, watching him turn his head to look at her with those mysterious blue eyes of his. Eyes that hid all but what he wanted her to see, just like Rika's did.

"Every time you do something like this you push her further away. You do know that, don't you?" Matt asked softly, holding her gaze. "You two are already so far apart, how much further do you think you can push each other before you're too far away to do even that anymore?"

"She's my daughter, Matt. I have to correct her when she makes stupid mistakes like this." Rumiko replied shakily, not liking Matt's words at all.

"You're right, you are her mother. But you aren't her mom either, Rumiko. Anyone can be a mother but it takes someone special, like yours, to be a mom. Rika isn't perfect, she screws up, even more then most kids in some areas. But you do too. If the only control you have over her is with threats and her love for your mom then what sort of family are you three?" Matt said quietly before turning on his heels and exiting the room leaving a very shaken and confused Rumiko behind him.

* * *

Heading straight for Rika's room Matt knocked then getting no answer opted to take his chances and opening the door, walking through then throwing his hands up in front of his eyes. "SORRY! Sorry! I am SO, SO SORRY!"

Glaring at him Rika's eyes flashed as she lifted the shirt up to cover her front, not that he hadn't already gotten an eye full. She'd just gotten out of the shower and had been in the process of changing into fresh clothes when she'd heard his knock. "You dumb idiot!" Rika snarled at him, grabbing her damp robe and putting it on again. "You can move your hands, I'm decent. Now what the hell were you thinking, barging into a girl's room like that?"

Spreading his fingers hesitantly to make sure it really was safe to move them Matt slowly lowered his hands. "I just figured you weren't answering my knock because you were so mad." Matt said weakly, shoving his hands into his pockets in self defense. Of all the things he'd expected to see when he'd walked through that door a naked from the waist up Rika had definitely not been one of them. Truth be told he'd stopped thinking of Rika as a real girl a long time ago. Now he had a feeling he was never going to be able to forget again. This was just a side of her he'd just never wanted to see. Ever.

* * *

Giving him a forced dark look Rika couldn't decide whether to laugh that he looked so mortified and embarrassed or beat him brainless for coming in without waiting for permission. "It would serve you right if I kicked your ass for this, you know that, right?"

"I really am sorry. I promise to let you kick my ass if you'll promise that we never speak of this again." Matt said with a hopeful look on his face.

"You're more upset about this then I am." Rika said with a chuckle, shaking her damp hair as she collected her shirt and bra from the ground where she'd dropped them in surprise. "Has someone's Casanova image been nothing but an illusion?" She teased, her dark mood lifting as his cheeks went a pale pink.

"There's a big difference between you and other girls." Matt informed her then could have just bitten his tongue off right then and there as her eyes narrowed dangerously. "What I mean to say is that it's different because...because we're actually friends and stuff. Guys shouldn't see their friends who are girls's...see their...well see them without all their clothes on."

"Well then maybe I should see you butt naked, just to even things up." Rika informed him, watching with fascination as Matt lost every little bit of color before it all came back in a blinding red. Watching him stutter without really being able to form words much less sentences Rika couldn't help it. Starting out with strangled chuckles Rika couldn't contain it and gave over to laughter, wrapping her arms around her waist as her whole body shook at the force. Laughing until tears came to her eyes she just couldn't stop, even with Matt cursing her out in her ears as he stood in front of her, glaring at her.

* * *

"You know most girls would be upset that some guy came in and saw them topless." Matt said grimly, his arms crossed in front of him as he watched her now that she was down to mere chuckles. Well wasn't she just having a wonderful time at his expense, Matt thought crossly, thoroughly mortified about the whole thing. Rika on the other hand seemed to think it was the funniest thing ever.

"I grew up in fashion, it's not that big a deal, Matt." Rika informed him, breathing carefully in an attempt to hold back any more laughter. He was just so cute sometimes. Forgetting for the moment how angry she'd been she concentrated on needling her best friend. "I mean all girls have them so what's the big deal?"

"The big deal is that they're YOURS!"

"So? I've seen you without a shirt before." Rika pointed out with a devious gleam in her eyes. He had walked in on her while she was changing after all. She couldn't let him get off completely Scot free.

"That's not the same thing!" Matt argued, then seeing the gleam in her eyes narrowed his own. So that was what she was up to. The little minx. Well two could play that game. "But I guess you're right. I mean I'm sure when we tell the guys at school tomorrow they'll agree that I over reacted."

"What...?" Rika said slowly, her eyes going wide as his meaning hit home. "What do you mean...tell the guys tomorrow?"

"Well it's such a funny story, I'm sure they'd all love to hear about it, don't you think?" Matt replied innocently, biting back a smile as Rika's own face began to lose a bit of color. Serves her right after all.

"If you tell them about this I will come after you in the night and you can join the drama teacher as road kill under my car." Rika said darkly, her hands reaching up to latch onto his collar as she glared up at him. "Tell anyone and you're dead, do you understand me? Why the hell did you close your eyes?"

"I promise not to tell anyone..just please close your robe."

"Oh." Rika said as she looked down having completely forgotten that her hands had been what had been holding the robe in place. "Damn."

* * *

The Next Day at School

"Hey, Matt. You look like hell, didn't sleep last night?" Ryo asked as he took a seat beside Matt in their first class of the day, watching with a mixture of concern and amusement as Matt gave him the look of a condemned man.

"Lets just say that after the first couple dreams I opted not to sleep. In fact I might never sleep again." Matt replied, slumped over his desk, lowering his head into his arms. "There's got to be another way to recharge your body. I'll figure it out and make billions."

"That bad huh?" Ryo said with a raised eyebrow as he patted Matt sympathetically on the shoulder. "What did you dream about?"

"I can't talk about it." Was Matt's muttered response, his shoulders lumped in defeat. He was perilously close to falling asleep at his desk and if that happened then lord only knows what would happen.

"That bad?"

"Well it depends on how you look at it. Plus she said if I ever spoke of it again she'd crucify me to the ground then pour flesh eating ants on me while playing I'm forced to listen to disco music. I can't tell anyone, she'd do it too." Matt said weakly, lifting his head with a pained look on his face. "I don't suppose you'd take pity on me and push me out the nearest window? With all the pain killers they'd pump me full of if I lived I'd get some nice sleep without actually having to dream."

* * *

"Why would Rika threat to do all those things if you told anyone about your dreams?" Ryo wanted to know, having not a single doubt in his mind that it was Rika they were talking about. Only Rika could come up with something that creatively disturbing.

"Do you want me to have to die listening to disco music?" Matt demanded, giving Ryo an are you insane look.

"I think that would be the least painful of the three." Ryo commented dryly.

"Then obviously you've never had to listen to disco music. It's eviler then anything any rock band has ever come up with." Matt told him darkly, perfectly serious about this. "Anyone with any sense can see that nothing makes you want to contemplate suicide more then disco music. Well that and polka music."

"Okay..." Ryo drawled out, biting back a grin since Matt did seem to be serious.

"That's true satanic music." Matt agreed, glad that Ryo understood. "And anyway, I'll get over it. I mean it really isn't such a big deal. They all have them right and why should I care about having it reinforced that she has them too?"'

"Okay...now I really want to know what this is about. Does..does Rika have stuffed animals? Girlie stuff? I mean you are living at her house and unless she was using those stuffed animals as voodoo dolls the sight of her with them would put anyone into a state of shock." Ryo wanted to know, the idea utterly ludicrous but seeing Rika in possession of that sort of stuff would be enough to send anyone into a tail spin.

"Ahhhh...no comment."

* * *

"Well, lets get this over with." Rika said as she stood in front of the door, jaws clenched as her gaze glared a hole through the damn door. Damn her mother and damn the stupid bitch drama teacher too. They were gonna pay for this. She didn't know when and she didn't know how but as God as her witness she was going to make them both rue this day. Raising a hand Rika grimly knocked a little harder then was entirely necessary, waiting until she was given an enter before opening and walking through the door.

"Why, Miss Nonaka. To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" The bitch in question purred, smiling at Rika the way a cat did when it had finally backed the mouse into the corner and knew she could play with it a bit before eating.

"I'll be there at your stupid try outs but I won't be in it. You can't make me do that." Rika told her stiffly, biting back all the other things she wanted to say to the teacher. Things that would get her suspended, expelled or possibly even jailed if the woman wanted to press charges.

"And what makes you think I'd want you in my production?" Was the woman's oh so sweet answer, even as her lips curved in a self satisfied look, obviously well aware of what Rika was struggling not to say. "After all from what I hear about you there's really nothing you could bring to my show but a bad attitude, young lady."

"If that's the way you feel then the only reason you want me to try out is because you think I'm going to humiliate myself up on that stage, isn't it?" Rika asked coldly, her eyes frosting over as the room suddenly got a lot colder. She'd figured that the teacher had just wanted to show off the fact that she had more power then Rika but it was more then that. She didn't just want to prove a point, she wanted to prove a point and humiliate at the same time. Well that was going to be a problem, Rika thought darkly. A big one.

* * *

"Now why would I want to do that?" Was the oh so innocent response. She could practically see the wheels turning in the girl's head, Himeno thought as she watched the girl before her. Miss Nonaka was just itching to lash out but couldn't, not in front of a teacher anyway.

"Because you're a washed up diva without an audience left to feed your ego." Was Rika's cool response, smiling at the teacher in a way that had the woman paling a little. "You're used to calling the shots and while you're a teacher you can and I have no doubt will tell me what to do and try to tell me what to think. I will be at that audition and then we'll see once and for all just which one of us comes out on top." Giving the woman her back Rika marched to the door and closed it behind her before the teacher even had time to open her mouth. Fuming all the way down the hall Rika took a moment to kick a locker a couple of times before setting off to find Matt, where ever he was. He was going to help her with this and together they were going to show that bitch a thing or two. Yeah, by the time they were done with her she'd wish she'd never even heard the name Rika Nonaka.


	7. Reasons To Return

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the plot situations I put them in. Everything else belongs to someone else and that, unfortunately, is the way it's going to stay. Thanks to all my readers and hope you enjoy!

Reasons To Return

Sitting at his desk there was really no question that there was homework he was supposed to be doing. That being said he had no intention of working on any of it. Always a responsible and hardworking student T.K. none the less had more important things on his mine that not turning in his homework on time. That something important was his brother. He knew that Matt was at Rika's which was some relief but not a hell of a lot. While he knew Rika would take care of him this was still Rika. She wasn't exactly the comforting, nurturing type. The only thing she was in the habit of nurturing was personal grudges. She wouldn't be a calming, healing, influence either. She'd more likely be encouraging Matt to come back here and crucify Tai's to a soccer post. She'd want Sora all to herself for that matter. He didn't even want to think about what sort of evil things Rika could come up with to do to someone. Matt might be capable of dishing out serious damage but he was pretty much a physical, kick your ass to a pulp type. Rika was more of a plan the most painful, humiliating tortures available sort of girl. Rika never just got mad and even. He'd never been on her bad side but Matt had told him stories...well...they were worse then Freddie Kouger movies.

* * *

Hearing a knock on the door T.K. turned his head, calling out for his mom to come on in. Watching her as she came in he noted the circle under her eyes and the fact that her smile was both tired and forced. None of those were unusual exactly unless you added in the worry and sadness he could see behind that smile and those eyes. "What's up, Mom?" T.K. asked, smiling in a way he hoped was reassuring.

"I just wanted to see what you were up to." Nancy replied, walking over to place a hand on her younger son's shoulder. Looking at the desk she saw that there was nothing on it. "No homework tonight?"

"I'll get to it." T.K. said, knowing that now he would have to. She was a sharp mom after all and he was in general a terrible liar. She wasn't a reporter for nothing after all.

"You're worried about him too huh?" Nancy said with a knowing look, not surprised that T.K. was hiding it so well. It seemed to be a trait in their family. Never let anyone see you bleed, especially when it's a private, family matter. "I keep telling myself that he's strong, that where ever he is he's probably just fine and dandy. I tell myself that if I keep thinking that then soon I'll start believing it's true."

* * *

"I don't know about fine and dandy but he is strong, Mom. Maybe not as strong as he likes to think he is but he knows how to take a hit."

"And that's what happened? He took a hit?" Nancy asks, watching the array of emotions pass over her son's face. "I have eyes, T.K.. I've heard the undertones in Tai and Sora's voices when they call to ask if there's been any word from Matt. I know the sound of a guilty conscience when I hear it. Those two always did have a vibe, to be frank it always bothered me. It never seemed to bother Matt though."

"I don't know exactly what happened there. Kari and I think that whatever happened odds are that vibe made itself too apparent to be ignored. We think Matt left so that there wouldn't be any backlash from the break up."

"And so that there wouldn't be any choosing of sides for you and Kari." Nancy added, easily connecting the dots. "He's always loved you most, more then anyone else. I don't think there's anything he wouldn't do for you."

"And vice versa. Not that he'd ever give me the chance to prove it to him." T.K. said, not even hearing the anger in his voice. "He's fine, he even wants me to lean on him whenever I might need him but he never comes to me for help. He never needs to lean on me or even let me offer. He always just grins and tells me not to worry."

* * *

"Yeah, that boy can pretty much grin his way through anything. It's gotten to the point I can't tell when they're genuine anymore." Nancy said softly, understanding her son's words completely. Matt had never come to her for help with anything either. But then, he had no reason to think he should. After all, when he'd needed her as a child, she hadn't been there, now had she? Ever since he'd disappeared, just left without even a note, she'd started to really think about why he'd done that. At first she'd been so angry at him, to not be considerate enough to do even that much. But then she'd thought, why should he? It wasn't like she was a big enough part of his life to warrant it. She could use the excuse that he hadn't seemed interested in changing that but hadn't she waited too long before trying to bridge the gap. Could she really blame him for not going out of his way to mend the gap when she'd made the gap in the first place? Because as much as she'd have liked to, she couldn't blame it all on her ex husband. She'd lost touch with her oldest son all on her own.

"I can't tell sometimes either." T.K. said quietly, reaching out to pat the hand resting on his shoulder. "I don't think most people can see what Matt's really thinking or feeling unless he lets them."

"Was he happy? Before all this I mean. Do you think?"

"I think he was. Or at least as happy as he'd ever let himself be." Was his truthful reply. He didn't see a point in pulling punches, especially when she'd asked for it out right.

"Does he know that I love him?"

"I honestly don't know. He wouldn't tell either of us if we asked. Or at least not anything we didn't want or hope to hear, Mom."

"That's what I thought."

* * *

The next morning T.K. walked to school with his head down and his shoulders slightly slumped. He hadn't slept well. All he'd been able to think about was the look on his mother's face when he'd told her he honestly didn't know if Matt knew that their mother loved him. Personally he didn't doubt it. He just doubted that Matt saw her love as something to trust and believe in. Especially now. Jarred out of his thoughts by a loud blast of horn T.K. turned his head to see Izzy in his car, pulling in beside him.

"Want a ride?" Izzy called over after he'd put the windows down half way.

"Sure." T.K. said with a small smile, opening the door and sliding in. Closing the door behind him T.K. buckled in as Izzy pulled back into traffic. "Thanks. I missed the bus."

"Sleep through your alarm?" Izzy teased, making light of the fact that T.K. wasn't looking too good at the moment. The kid hadn't been looking so good period since Matt had left. Oh the kid was putting on a good front but he wasn't near the actor his older brother was. While Matt could hide just about anything from anyone T.K. had never really had to hone that sort of skill.

"No, I just didn't get much sleep last night. I waited till the last minute to finish up my homework." T.K. replied, leaning back against the headset. He'd ended up doing the homework he'd intended to neglect solely because he hadn't been able to get to sleep.

* * *

"How's your mom doing?" Izzy asked after they'd lapsed into silence for a moment. The last time he'd seen T.K's mom she hadn't been looking so good. It wasn't unusual to find her stressed, she was a reporter after all, but there was a sadness in her eyes. A mother's sad eyes rather then a news hound's.

"I don't think she's going to be okay until she sees Matt. In other words I don't see her as being okay any time soon." T.K. said as he raked a hand through his hair.

"You know where he is though, don't you?" Izzy said knowingly, even while T.K. stared at him in shock. "Oh, please. He might not tell any of us, he might not even tell you, T.K.. But I know you. You wouldn't be this calm unless you knew for sure that he was okay."

"Damn." T.K. said simply, quiet for a moment before nodding his head. "But yeah. Yeah, I think I know where he is. I'm over ninety percent sure anyway. At least in my gut."

"Well, since you're the son of two reporters I think that your gut's gotta be better then most, T.K."

"Yeah, I guess so. There's..there's a friend of his who's a lot like him. Well not exactly since she's usually about as friendly as a wet cat with rabies but they seem to get each other." T.K. said with what felt like the first real smile since Matt had left. "I think he went to her. At least I know her family would let him stay with them if he went there."

* * *

"A wet cat with rabies?" Izzy repeated, trying to visualize such a person. It was a really scary thought that he rather didn't want to picture.

"Yeah. She's actually pretty nice if she likes you. It's only when she doesn't like you that you might wanna consider renewing your passport to get out of the country." T.K. explained with a small grin. "There was this one waiter who patted her on the butt as we were leaving this restaurant. I'll never forget the look on his face when she grabbed his ear and accidentally ripped out his earring in the process."

"Accidentally?"

"Well that's what she said it was but the guy had been looking down her mother's shirt all through dinner. I think she'd been planning it all through dinner, just waiting for the right moment. She's the patiently planning sort." T.K. explained, well aware that he wasn't painting a very flattering portrait of Rika. "She and Matt get along really well though, childhood friends and all that. Her parents are split too and neither of them are real winners in the parenting department either. Her mom's doing a bit better though or at least Matt said that Rika said she was. I've only met the woman a few times but she's pretty much a nice but slightly bubble headed diva."

* * *

"Have any of us met her?" He couldn't recall meeting anyone like that. You didn't forget a person like T.K. was describing.

"Not that I know of. She lives a fair distance away and when they did get together it was usually at her place since they had the room. Plus her grandmother is really fond of Matt and he's really fond of her and her cooking." T.K. explained. "Thankfully her mother is like most of the women when it comes to Matt."

"In other words she just thinks he's the greatest thing since sliced bread." Izzy smirked, shaking his head slightly. Matt was a natural ladies man without even trying. They flocked to him because of his looks and stayed because he could charm just about anyone. The fact that they were being shown only what they wanted to see when they looked at him was something only a few of the insightful ones had ever picked up. As far as Izzy knew Kari was the only girl that had ever seen Matt at his worst. Well maybe her and this other girl T.K. was talking about. He doubted very much that Matt had been at his best when he'd arrived at her doorstep.

"Well she's pretty shallow. It wouldn't surprise me much if she likes him because he's as good looking as she is. Matt's friend is really pretty too but I figure Rumiko's too afraid of her by now to risk trying to play dress up anymore. Apparently she tried to force one pink dress too many on Matt's friend and she finally blew. Rumiko hasn't risked a repeat since. Matt at least would let her shop for him. Plus it's probably a new experience for her, having a teenager in the house that meets her physical and social standards." T.K. replied, being careful not to say Rika's name. Give Izzy enough info and his lap top and who knows what his friend could find out.

"So is she going to be too shallow to realize she's taking in another teenager who needs a shrink very badly?" Izzy asked, his tone going serious as he looked over at T.K.. "And before you make some crack you know I'm right. Matt needs to learn to deal with his anger and nothing you or I have done has helped him a hell of a lot. Now with this mess with Tai and Sora...well all that trust we helped him build has got to be in ruins now."

* * *

"Going to a shrink isn't going to do him any good, Izzy." T.K. said just as seriously as they pulled into the school's parking lot. "All that's going to do is make him angrier. Especially if the shrink gets too close to things Matt doesn't want to talk about. What he needs a shrink can't give him."

"We can't change the past for him. We can't fix your parents marriage and we sure as hell can't stop him from developing all his damn walls. We can't fix things with him, Tai and Sora either. I don't think he'd try to fix it, even if he could. Not really fix it anyway. He might pretend too knowing him."

"What he needs is for someone to love him. Love him first and foremost above everyone else including that person's friends and family. Not out of pity or infatuation or any of that weak emotion stuff. Really love him. Just for him. That's why, even if things keep getting worse, I want him to stay away. I want him to be in a place where maybe, just maybe, he'll just be Matt for once. Where our screwed up family and you guys don't exist anymore. He can be whoever he wants now and maybe, he'll decide he just wants to be himself there."

Silently pulling into an empty spot Izzy turned off the car before he said anything. "But if there's a possibility of that...do you really think he has enough trust in him left to believe it, much less reach out and grab it?"

"I honestly don't know. I think you could probably count on one hand now. The people who he believes without a doubt really do love him. The people he's likely still willing to trust. Two of them are where he is now. I'm here. I figure with those sorts of odds he's got a better chance where he is now."

"He has more then just you here, wanting him back." Izzy said darkly, not liking what T.K. was saying at all.

"I know that but does he? Before this thing with Tai and Sora I think he would have included you other guys in that list. Or at least in the really care about him department. Now with this mess, he probably doesn't know what to think anymore."

"Look, we both have to get to class before we're late but we have the same lunch period. I'll meet you by your locker then?" Izzy asked as he undid his seat belt. This was a conversation that needed to be continued. "I want to know more about this person Matt's with. Not to find them, just to get a better idea of the person I'm intrusting one of my best friends too."

"Calling her a wet cat with rabies might have been a bit harsh." T.K. said with a small smile. "A wet cat who's tail's just been stepped on might be a better. And okay, I'll be there."

* * *

Waiting for T.K. Izzy leaned against his friend's locker, deep in thought for the moment. From the sounds of it Matt was in a house with three women. One was a grandmother who appeared to be everyone's ideal grandmother which was good. Then you had the ditzy, nice but shallow mother who would likely give Matt lots of compliments and not get involved with his life at all. That was both good and bad. Matt wouldn't want anyone butting into his business but having a real mother figure around for once wouldn't have been a bad thing for him either. Lastly you had this mystery friend of Matt's who was apparently a lot like Matt only she didn't bother to hide behind her masks the way Matt was always doing. Maybe she could teach that to Matt. Matt without his masks might be occasionally mean and cold but at least it would really be him and not one of his countless personalities he showed people.

Having cleared his throat for the forth time Tai gave up and reaching over shook Izzy's shoulder to finally get his friend's attention. "Hey, where were you? Trying to contact a distance planet through telepathy?"

"No. I was wondering about Matt." Izzy replied, watching Tai's eyes carefully. Even the mention of Matt's name had guilt and pain flashing in those brown eyes. Not a big surprise. Tai was a good guy, if occasionally a thoughtless, impulsive one.

"Any word from him yet? I keep calling his parents and asking T.K. but no one seems to know what's up. I thought maybe he'd get in touch with you. You two got along better sometimes then he and I ever did." Tai said sheepishly, speaking the simple truth. Sometimes he'd gotten the feeling that Izzy would have made a better best friend for Matt then himself. Izzy seemed to get Matt in a way he just couldn't.

"No, I haven't." Izzy said with a shake of his head. "I doubt we'll know anything until he wants us too. That could be never."

"He can't do that, we're his friends. Besides, he'd never turn his back on T.K.." Tai argued, his eyes just a little bit desperate. If he was honest with himself he knew that Matt's little brother was the only one Matt would be even thinking about coming back for. Thanks to him.

"You and Sora took the people he thinks of as his friends, Tai. T.K's got dibs on his entire family in the most loved department. That really doesn't leave anyone for him to come back to in his eyes. Now does it?"


	8. Past The Point

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the plot ideas featured in all my little stories. Thanks to all those who've been reading and reviewing, have a great day.

Past The Point

It was the day before the drama try outs and Rika wouldn't have been at all surprised if there were dark clouds following her everywhere. She was going to have to participate in the damn thing. There was just no way she was going to get out of it. She'd come up with a hundred different scenarios including deliberately making herself ill. All to no avail. Somehow she couldn't see her mother letting her get away with that one or any of the other ones her mind had cooked up. There were worse things her mother could do to her after all. The bitch. Sitting on the school steps as she waited for Matt to come out she was darkly pleased as she watched people give her a wide berth, too afraid to even look at her for more then a second. Who said television and video games had killed the brains of her entire generation. They were at least smart enough to know a time bomb waiting to go off at the slightest provocation.

"You know...you're really ugly when you're angry, Rika." Matt said as he stopped behind her, watching as she looked up at him with flashing violet eyes. "Good things looks can't kill too."

"Oh shut up." Rika snarled as she got to her feet, walking down the last couple of steps before heading towards the parking lot where Matt's bike was parked. Ignoring him as he fell into step with her Rika wished she could just punch him. She'd feel better. No she wouldn't, that was why she hadn't, Rika thought with an inner sigh. Right now she needed him healthy so that at least she wouldn't have to embarrass herself alone.

* * *

"It won't be that bad you know. Five minutes on stage at most." Matt pointed out, trying not to be amused by her. On the one hand he could sympathize but really, she was blowing this out of proportion. "Plus it's after school so only the drama geeks will be there. Who cares what they think? You can just threaten to beat them up if they start shooting off their mouths."

"It's the principle of the point." Was her sullen response. "I'm going to give her a headache though. When I get done on that stage her eardrums are never going to be the same. I'll make nails on a blackboard sound appealing."

Wincing Matt could easily imagine her doing that which wasn't good since he was going to be right beside her when she did that. Thanks to their voice training as kids he knew she could hit the high notes. Not good. "Well you could do that..." Matt began, his voice taking on a slightly manipulative tone. "But there's a better way to make her pay, Rika."

Eyes narrowing suspiciously Rika stopped in front of his motorcycle and turned to face him questioningly. "And what would that be, exactly?"

"Well she wants this musical to be a success. We both know she's doomed to failure as it stands because there's no way she going to be able to put together a cast of actors that can pull off a performance of this magnitude no matter what she says. Just think how much more this whole thing would stick in her craw if she knew that two people who could have at least made the whole thing half decent slipped right through her fingers." Matt said smugly, a grin on his face that Rika's face slowly began to mirror as his meaning hit home. "It's her first production at this school. I think we could help make her see the error in getting on our bad sides."

"I like the way you think."

* * *

"And just to add insult to the injury I think we should perform the scene or should I say the song most likely to piss off the principal while we're at it." Matt added as he handed Rika her helmet which she simply held while he straddled his bike.

"Did I say like? I meant I LOVE the way your mind thinks." Rika said with a delighted laugh as she put the helmet on and secured it. "I think Past The Point of No Return is just the song to raise the temperature of a certain washed out battleaxe. At the very least the principal will try to strap us with some detentions."

"Which he won't be able to do since it is a song in the musical and as such is perfectly acceptable for us to perform." Matt said with a wink before he pulled the visor down on his own helmet. Rika getting on behind him he waited until her arms were wrapped securely around his waist before he gunned the engine and sped out of the parking lot, both already plotting plenty before they even hit the road.

* * *

By the end of school the next day they had their plan down packed to the very last detail. Nobody plotted like they did, they thought proudly as they entered the theater in the school gym where try outs were being held. Jeri was the only friend they had trying out though Ryo's girlfriend was trying out as well apparently. Rika would sooner be eaten alive by piranhas then admit she knew the girl though. Matt just joined in the group betting pool as to when Ryo would finally dump the airhead and was polite enough to the ditz's face.

"You two aren't going to do anything crazy, are you?" Alice wanted to know having come along to cheer Jeri on. She knew the two were being forced into this and Rika was just too damn smug and cheerful. There was no way the girl wasn't up to something. "Because if you are tell me now so that I can go get my video camera."

"Thanks but I'd rather there be no visual evidence." Rika said with a small smile as she looked at the rather empty gym. Apparently not a lot of people had thought turning up was worth their time either. It just got better and better.

"You make it sound like we're about to break laws or something." Matt commented in amusement, his hands casually in his pockets. He looked as relaxed as a sleepy cat but inside he was bouncing with anticipation. This was going to be fun. More fun then he'd had in a while anyway. That and Rika was going to owe him big now which just made it that much sweeter.

* * *

"And are you?" Henry wanted to know, believing it was entirely impossible. He'd heard Rika ranting about the woman plenty after all. Rika wasn't the one to live and let live.

"You'll see." Rika said sweetly, her voice almost sing song which had her friends feeling their blood go decidedly cold. This was not good. Definitely not good.

The friends all watching and waiting wearily while the auditions began they all waited for the shoe to drop with a mixture of anxiety and fear for the general populations well being. Jeri's audition went by without a hitch at least though she'd have done better to sing louder so that everyone could hear instead of only the first few rows. Quite a number of cheerleaders tried out too which was good for some entertainment but it was the big finale Rika and Matt's friends were waiting for.

* * *

Deliberately saving the two for last the drama teacher finally took the stage. She'd been watching for her two little examples and she'd been pleased to see them show up. After all, they were being punished and she'd wanted it to be her way. That thought had been what had gotten her through these auditions. There were some with some small talent but no real shining stars. No Phantom or Christine among them. And without those two you don't have a musical, the little voice in her head reminded her. Pushing that aside she concentrated on the now. Even if this musical fell through she was going to go down with the satisfaction of knowing she'd taken Ms. Nonaka down a few pegs. First she thanked everyone for trying out and then her eyes narrowed, pinning down her little presentation's headliners. "And now, for your reward for all trying so hard I have a little treat for you all. Ms. Nonaka and Mr. Ishida, would you two like to come up here now, please?"

Both getting to their feet they were all well aware that everyone's eyes were on them. Walking tall and alluding confidence they were the picture of too cool to care badness. Walking up the steps leading to the stage they headed for center stage, waiting for her to continue what was sure to be a speech about them.

"Ms. Nonaka and Mr. Ishida are both here today because they both believe that this musical is doomed to failure. They don't believe that the students at this school have the talents or drive to put on something of this magnitude. I happen to disagree but these two were both quite vocal in their opposition. So vocal in fact that they got themselves into a bit of trouble with the principal which leads to why they're standing up here beside me. Ms. Nonaka and Mr. Ishida are both going to be trying out for the play and I'm sure you'll all join me in seeing just how they measure up to the performances you've all given today."

* * *

"Oh you are good." Rika whispered under her breath so that only the teacher could hear. "But unfortunately for you..we're better."

"Well we'll just see about that." Was the oh so sweet response as Miss Mido held out two stapled booklets. "Are you ready to wow us all?" She asked with a definite hint of sarcasm, a smile crossing her features as neither made a move to take the sheets from her.

"We won't be needing those but thanks for the thought." Matt said smoothly, smiling at her oh so charmingly. "We're ready to go as soon as you get off the stage."

"You're required to perform from the play." Was her annoyed reply.

"We know." Matt said as he rocked back on his heels like he had all the time in the world.

Taking a moment to glare at both of them Miss Mido turned on her heels and crossed the stage, walking down the stairs to return to her seat between the principal and the music teacher. Settling in she laced her fingers in her lap and gave them a challenging look, daring them to begin.

"Well then." Matt said as he turned to face the eagerly awaiting audience, his usual charming grin on his face. "First I'd like to say that their are a lot of professional actors who couldn't pull this play off successfully so Rika and I didn't mean anything against any of you when we said this play wasn't a good idea. Anyway we're going to be doing the song, "Past then Point of No Return". " Giving a short, teasing bow Matt took a deep breath then began to sing, his rich, seductive voice reaching every corner of the room. This song was about reaching a point where lust, desire and primal needs were all that mattered. About crossing those lines with no chance of backing down. In other words not a song for school, Matt thought wickedly, caressing each word so that the audience could literally feel their blood pressure going up. Wrapping his arms around Rika he pulled her tightly against him, a lovers hold with both of them facing the audience as he wowed them while Rika looked at him in staged lust and dazzlement.

* * *

Matt: Passarino - Go away for the trap it is set and waits for its prey.

You have come here  
In pursuit of your deepest urge  
In pursuit of that wish which till now  
Has been silent  
Silent.

I have brought you  
That our passions may fuse and merge  
In your mind you've already succumbed to me, dropped all defenses  
Completely succumbed to me  
Now you are here with me  
No second thoughts  
You've decided  
Decided.

Past the point of no return  
No backward glances  
Our games of make-believe are at an end.

Past all thought of "if" or "when"  
No use resisting  
Abandon thought and let the dream descend

What raging FIRE shall flood the soul  
What rich desire unlocks its door  
What sweet seduction lies before us?

* * *

He was incredible, Miss Mido thought in a daze, staring at the young man in wonder. His voice was the perfect combination of need and greed, of sex and passion. It made you think of sweet, heat and a passion that knew no limits or boundaries. In short it was designed to turn you on and unable to think of anything but sex. His voice and breathing control was spectacular as well, making her think there was no way he hadn't had training in both. There was such a change in his body language as well. Though he was no more then holding the girl against him he might as well have been making out with the girl for the way their body language merged and worked together. It was like they were two different people. Realizing that the boy's part was winding down Miss. Mido's eyes narrowed on the girl, knowing somehow that the girl would be just as full of surprises.

Past the point of no return  
The final threshold  
What warm unspoken secrets  
Will we learn  
beyond the point of no return?

* * *

Leaning back against Matt Rika did her best to look as sexily submissive as possible which wasn't easy since neither role was one she was in the habit of playing. Now it was time for her to show her stuff. Picking up right on cue it was her turn for her voice to echo through the nearly empty room. A rich, husky voice it wasn't as trained or as pleasing to the ear as Matt's but it was still a big step up from everyone else who'd performed. It wasn't just that she could carry a note but that like Matt she had the ability to put emotion and thoughts into the words. She didn't just sing the words, she projected them for everyone to hear and picture in their minds. Time to haul out some more sex imagery and make some people uncomfortable Rika thought as she punched up her voice and went for below the belt..so to speak.

Rika: You have brought me  
To that moment when words run dry  
To that moment when speech disappears  
Into silence  
Silence.

I have come here,  
Hardly knowing the reason why  
In my mind I've already imagined  
Our bodies entwining  
Defenseless and silent,  
Now I am here with you  
No second thoughts  
I've decided  
Decided.

Past the point of no return  
No going back now  
Our passion-play has now at last begun.

Past all thought of right or wrong  
One final question  
How long should we two wait before we're one?

When will the blood begin to race  
The sleeping bud burst into bloom  
When will the flames at last CONSUME us?

* * *

BOTH: Past the point of no return  
The final threshold  
The bridge is crossed  
So stand and watch it burn  
We've passed the point of no return.

And just like that, there was a quiet pause before Matt finished off the little duet with the final verse that probably best summed up just what sort of person the Phantom really was behind the mask. What the phantom, and really everyone, wanted in life.

Matt: (soft and sort of saddened) Say you'll share with me  
One love, one lifetime  
Lead me, save me from my solitude

Say you want me  
With you here  
Beside you  
Anywhere you go  
Let me go too  
Christine that's all I ask of…

* * *

Making a motion as though she were ripping a mask off Matt let her go and stumbled back, his hand going to his face as thought to shield some imaginary blemish from sight. Then he took the few steps needed to be once again at Rika's side. Taking her hand the two did a teasing little bow then turning walked through the curtains behind them so that they were both hidden from view. Taking only a moment to look at each other they broke out laughing and made a run for it. Still holding hands they dashed for the backstage exit and pushing it open rushed into the deserted school hallway and took off running down the hallway, the halls ringing with their merriment. Oh that had been perfect. Just perfect. 


	9. Battle Declared

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the plot situations I put them in. Everything else belongs to somebody else and that's the way it's going to stay. Thanks to all those who've been reading and I hope you will continue to review. Thanks and hope you enjoy it.

Battle Declared

Well to say that Rika and Matt were the topic of conversation among the teachers later was an understatement. Needless to say everyone who'd come to the auditions had been blown away by the two who had been scheduled to be humiliated and taken down a peg, not to blow the roof off with their talent. Now they were all in between and a rock and a hard place.

"They have to be in the show." Miss. Mido told the principal for what seemed like the thousandth time. "There is no one else in this school who can play the leading roles. These two have more talent in their baby fingers then most of the students that tried out today."

"I'm aware of that, Miss. Mido. Just as I'm aware that Miss. Nonaka would sooner be eaten alive by rats then participate in a school activity, much less a school play." Was the principal, Mr. Emura's dry reaction. "And judging by the fact that the two seemed to be in it together getting the boy involved seems just as unlikely."

"His personality is very different from hers but I have to agree with you, sir. They did that as a lark, to rub it in our noses that they know they could make this play a hit. Obviously being ordered to perform roused them to put all their energy into showing us up which they succeeded in doing brilliantly." The music teacher said with a small grin on his young face. "I have Matt in one of my music classes and the boy isn't just a talented singer, he's also an accomplished musician. I asked him about his training and he just smiled and said he'd picked it up here and there. I have to agree with Miss. Mido though. I think they've both acted and sang in front of people before. They know how to work an audience."

* * *

"Well those two have both had training somewhere. Excellent training at that." Miss. Mido interrupted as she glared at the two men who weren't helping at all. "You don't pick that sort of thing up. Someone's taught them and that someone knew what they were doing. I've seen plenty of singers on stage who have had less training than that boy. The girl's voice wasn't the purest or the best voice this afternoon but it was the one with the most control and punch to it."

"It would be foolish of me to disagree that they're not the best we saw this afternoon but that doesn't change the fact that Miss. Nonaka and Mr. Ishida aren't going to want to set foot on that stage. The only reason we got them there in the first place is because I called her mother on them and I can't do that again. I have no leverage to force them to participate and even if I somehow managed to pull it off they'd find a way to ruin everything. No one can make them perform like they did today unless they want to." Mr. Emura reminded her for what seemed like the hundredth time. "I think you need to accept that there's no way either of them are going to be in your production."

"We'll just see about that." Miss. Mido said with a determined look on her face as she got to her feet. "Now if you gentlemen will excuse me. I think I'll be heading home." The men returning the good nights they watched her go, waiting until she was out of ear shot before they looked at each other, rolling their eyes expressively.

* * *

"It really is a shame that either of them won't be in the production. They were right you know. Without a solid leading man and lady this play won't even get lukewarm reviews." The music teacher, Mr. Ito said after taking a sip of his coffee. "I know you think she can do it but I really think there's no way the students at this school can pull this off."

"But if those two were in it..do you think she could?"

"I think that Matt would be a great phantom and as for Miss. Nonaka...well I don't know anything about her but if her performance is anything to go by she certainly would be, at the very least, a more than adequate Christine."

"Maybe we'll get lucky and Nonaka will pull something this week that I can use to get her cooperation." Mr. Emura said with a sigh, rubbing his tired face. Nonaka was a constant thorn in his side and if it wasn't for the fact that she was a damn intelligent pain he would have booted her out of his school long ago. He suspected her hand in more then a few incidents but had never had the proof to lay blame in her door. She knew it too and was always giving him those little smiles of hers that were designed to be salt in his wounds.

"Well so far Mr. Ishida has been a model student." Mr. Ito argued. "And she's only a child. How bad can she really be?"

"You have no idea." Was the principal's dry response.

* * *

Typing away at his computer Izzy didn't either bother to glance up as his fingers danced across the keys at a dizzying speed. Calling out an enter he didn't hear his door open or close as he finished the coding before looking up to see Tai and Sora standing in his room. Raising an eyebrow he swerved in his chair to face them. "What's up?" He asked, pretty sure he already knew why they were here. He was a genius after all.

"We need advice." Sora said bluntly, knowing they wouldn't get anywhere if they weren't straight with each other.

"About Matt I presume." Izzy responded dryly, crossing his arms in front of him as he regarded them consideringly. "I should tell you now that I'm completely on his side. From what I've put together you guys got off easy when you're the ones who should have been getting the flank, not him. As far as I'm concerned there's no excuse for not coming to him about whatever is going on between you two. He deserved a hell of a lot better from the both of you."

"We never met for anything to happen. It just did." Was Tai's miserable response, his hands jammed into his pockets as he looked the picture of guilt and misery. "And now we can't even explain things to him because we don't even know where the hell he is. If he'd stuck around...we never meant to hurt him. You have to believe that, Izzy."

"Well you did. And since you both know him pretty well you can imagine how worried I am that he hasn't beaten you to a pulp, Tai. If he'd done that I'd be fine but the fact that he didn't means he's got all that anger and pain building up without an outlet." Izzy stated harshly, not about to sugar coat things just because they were sorry. "If it builds up enough who knows what he'll do. You two have never seen him when he's not in control but I have and he's damn scary. chilling to the bone terrifying. That aside you know he has self esteem issues. You know how hard it is for him to open up and trust people. Everything we've built, every step we've taken to open him up to people has been destroyed."

* * *

Tears running down her cheeks Sora looked at Izzy with her heart in her eyes. "Don't you think we know that? Don't you think we know that if he hurts someone or himself it's because of us? Because we hurt him? Do you think I don't know that because of me he's off in some strange city, surrounded by strangers who don't care about him. Who won't take care of him. That because of me he's away from T.K., the one person he lets in and trusts completely. There is nothing you can say about me that I haven't already called myself, Izzy. I just want to know what you think we can do to try and help things. I know that fixing anything is likely out of the question now."

"Write him letters." Izzy said finally, after a few moments of silence. "Then give them to me. I don't know where he is but I'm looking and when I find him I'll send them to him."

"What should we tell him?" Tai wanted to know, taking Sora's hand and squeezing it.

"The truth. Tell him everything you think he deserves to know and everything you think he doesn't. Don't patronize him or make promises or sacrifices to make him come back. Just tell the truth and whatever you do, don't even think about trying to emotionally blackmailing him into coming back. If he comes back I want it to be because he wants to. If he's better off wherever he is then I want him to stay there as long as he needs to."

"Do you really think he's okay? Wherever he is?" Sora asked, wiping away her tears with the back of her hand. "I asked T.K. and he said he thought so. He might have just been humoring me though. I think he and Kari have figured things out too."

"Who knows. But he has Gabumon with him and if I know Matt he can handle himself in any situation. I'm sure he chose a place where he felt safe." Izzy replied, not about to let what T.K. had told him slip just yet. For now he would simply hope that whoever this girl was she was keeping Matt out of trouble and on the straight and narrow.

* * *

Riding on the high for what had to be one of their greatest collaborations Rika and Matt stocked up on movies and junk food for a night of fun. Wise enough to do all their homework first they managed to talk Rika's grandmother into letting them ordering out and the three pigged out on food in front of the television watching the movie Matt had picked out as being grandmother friendly. Now that she was in bed though they were watching the gory thriller Bone Collector, curled up side by side with a bowl of popcorn between them. It had taken them a while to find this movie since they'd wanted it in English but the hour spent had been well worth it.

"I'll never look at rats the same way again." Rika said slowly, watching as the police looked at what remained of the bad guy's latest victim. She liked to believe she was tougher then most but even her stomach was a little queasy now. The whole rat jumping towards the screen had been pretty freaky too.

"Not a good way to go." Matt agreed with a shake of his head. As it was he could only prey that this latest death was the worst or they were in serious trouble. There was a bad way to die and then there were REALLY BAD ways to die. So far none of these people had died in a way he'd wish on his worst enemy. "You have to give this guy credit for imagination though. These are some pretty unique killing methods."

"Yeah. I bet Miss. Mido wouldn't mind boiling us alive right now." Rika said with a smirk, thinking of what they'd pulled steadying her stomach. Oh but she couldn't wait till Monday morning when the witch came crawling to them, begging them to be in her stupid play. Oh she wouldn't want to but her job was probably riding on the success of her little doomed production. How sweet was the taste of revenge well executed, Rika thought with a happy little grin.

* * *

"If she's smart she's probably plotting some way to try and force us to be in her play. You're sure that the principal doesn't have anything on you that's big enough to force you to be in it?" Matt asked, never taking his eyes off the screen as he helped himself to some more popcorn.

"Naw. He might suspect but lately I think he's given up on trying to prove to the school board that I'm the devil incarnate. My mom donated too much money to the school and besides, with my grades they want to keep me where I am." Rika said with a chuckle, shaking her head. "As much as the principal wants to complain I'm in the top five for my grade and they want the prestige when I get into a top university."

"Well either way, come Monday we're both going to get ambushed." Was Matt's opinion and one which Rika had to unfortunately agree with. Their principal was a real bull dog when it came to making her as miserable as she made him. Plus Miss. Mido hadn't struck her as the sort of woman who would just give up after the first blow. No, the diva with a tude wasn't going to roll over and play dead just yet. The question was, what was she going to try to pull?

"I think I'll take the principal and Miss. Diva over your fan girls though." Rika commented a few moments later, not wanting to interrupt the movie at a pivotal part. "It wouldn't surprise me if the cheerleaders had gotten together to plan something."

* * *

"Who knows, maybe there will be some fan boys for you to deal with too." Matt teased back, turning his head to wink in her direction. He was used to girls following him around, whether he encouraged them or not. It was always an ego boost but he'd always done his best to make it clear that he was taken and not interested in getting involved with anyone. Now he was single for the first time in years and he intended to stay that way. It was going to take some work to make the girls at his school realize that. Especially since he didn't have Sora to hide behind anymore. Sora. His eyes darkening slightly he wondered just what his former girlfriend was up to. Since she and Tai were relatively intelligent they had probably already figured things out. After all, Sora's mother had no reason not to tell her daughter that he'd stopped by that night. If he knew them, and he did, they were both probably wallowing in pits of guilt and remorse right about now. He couldn't even say he particularly felt sorry for either of them. Maybe he was guilty of ignoring the chemistry he'd always known was there between the two but they were more guilty for acting on it without letting him in first. As much as it would have been hurt to be told Sora preferred Tai to him it had hurt a hell of a lot more to find out for himself.

"Hey, where'd you go?" Rika asked, waving a hand in front of his face as she broke his line of thought. Turning his head to face her he blinked then looked at the screen which was blank. "Don't tell me I missed the rest of the movie. We were only half way through."

"I stopped it when I realized you were off in la la land."

* * *

"Oh." Was his sheepish response, rubbing the back of his neck with his head as he sent her a rueful look. "Sorry about that. You can start it again. I promise to be awake and aware when the scary parts happen to hold your hand."

"Oh bite me." Rika shot back, grabbing one of the couch's pillows to whack him in the shoulder playfully. "You're the one who was so scared you went into a trance."

"Bite you huh?" Matt said as he grabbed the pillow from her hand before she could hit him with it again. Tossing the pillow back at her she automatically caught it in front of her with both hands. "And just where would you like that bite?"

"As if I'd want you to bite me. Who knows what terrible diseases I'd get." Rika said sweetly, batting her eyes at him. He looked okay now. Good. She'd just rile him a bit more and then hopefully whatever had come into his head would leave for good. "Now lets watch the movie and see who needs to hold whose hand." She teased, taking his hand in hers to squeeze as if in mock comfort.

Squeezing her hand back Matt smiled at her rakishly as he brought her hand up to his lips, giving the side of her hand a teasing nip. "If you wanted to hold my hand you just had to say so."

Yanking her hand away with pink coming to her cheeks Rika peered at her hand, cursing the darkness. There better not be a mark. "You bit me!"

"If you call that a bite the guys at our school are pretty sad." Matt informed her with a chuckle, wishing there was more light so he could see if she looked as flustered as she sounded. "There won't even be a mark."

Grumbling to herself Rika turned the movie back on, settling into her seat with a glare in Matt's direction. She hadn't seen that one coming. She was going to have to get him back for it later.

* * *

After the movie was done they started another one, both dozing off part way through it so that when Rumiko got home from a party at two in the morning she heard the sound of the television as she stepped into the hallway. Following the noise she found Rika and Matt fast asleep on the couch, their heads together as they leaned on each other for support. Shaking her head Rumiko walked over and setting the popcorn bowl on the table got a blanket and covering them up left them there. It looked like she'd missed quite a party, Rumiko thought with a smirk, leaving the mess where it was for the two guilty parties to deal with when they woke up. Tip toeing out of the room she headed out to her own room, wondering just what Matt would think when he found out that while he'd been sleeping Rika had drawn on his face with marker. She really hoped that wasn't permanent marker. It was her daughter after all. 


	10. Miss Mido's Ace

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the situations I put them in. Therefore give credit and flames where they are due. Thanks very much for reading and please review as I'd very much like to hear from you.

Miss. Mido's Ace

Miss Mido's gift from above came early Sunday morning with a phone call from a friend of hers. She'd spent the entire weekend trying to find someone who had heard of the two current pains in her ass without any luck. Needless to say she practically pounced on the phone when her caller id informed her who was calling. "Did you find them?" She demanded to know.

"Well hello to you too."

"Yes, yes, hello, Monica. Now did you find them?"

"As it happens I believe I did." Her tone definitely miffed Monica continued, knowing that there wasn't any point in lecturing her friend on manners. All those years in the theater had destroyed what little the woman's mother had been able to install, Monica thought with a smirk. "Those names kept rolling around in my head and after a while I got the strangest feeling that I actually did know them from somewhere. It took me a day or so and your description of the boy before a favorite movie of mine came to mind. It's an old one and they would have been children but I looked it up and the names are right."

"They were in a movie?" Miss Mido repeated, her eyes wide with disbelief. She'd figured some kiddie commercials or a small theater part.

"Yup, a Hollywood Blockbuster at that. The only reason why I remember is that Brad Pitt was in it and you know how I do love that man's rear end."

"THEY WERE IN A MOVIE WITH BRAD PITT!"

* * *

"No need to yell, for God sakes. I'm not deaf or at least I wasn't until now." Wincing at the pain in her ears Monica was really wishing she'd just e-mailed her friend rather than calling to brag about finding these two kids for her. This was not the sort of thanks she'd wanted. "And yes they were. Or they were if these really are the kids you're looking for."

"What was the movie?"

"It was called Itchy's Place. There was this big hoopla because they were not only unknowns but English wasn't even their first language. They got the roles by chance when they were introduced to the director while he was in Japan." Monica informed her, reading off the print out she'd made of some of the information she'd collected.

"What kind of a name for a movie is that?"

"Well considering it was the surprise nomination for Best Picture the title wasn't a big factor." Was Monica's joking reply. "Anyways I'm going and you owe me." Hanging up Monica couldn't help but feel sorry for those two poor kids. She knew how their drama teacher could be when she was on a mission and it definitely wasn't pretty. She really had loved them in that movie too.

Now that she had a place to start Miss. Mido practically leapt into her computer chair and going online looked up the movie. Soon she was scrolling through all the information she could possibly need and it was time to see about finding herself a copy of that movie. She knew just how she was going to use it too.

* * *

Standing outside the school the next day Rika couldn't shake the sense of dread she was feeling. It wasn't even all the people staring and whispering as they looked at her and Matt that was throwing her off. There was just something in the air that foreshadowed the fact that this was not going to be a good day at all. "Are you thinking, what I'm thinking?"

"Are you thinking that you were a real bitch to draw on me with permanent marker?"

"Nope."

"Then no, I'm not thinking what you're thinking." Matt replied, absently rubbing his left cheek. All this staring was really unnerving him now. He knew he'd gotten most of the marker off using nail polish remover and other chemicals but his skin was still tender and it felt like it was still there because of the staring.

"I'm thinking I have a really bad feeling about this. That drama teacher didn't strike me as the type to beg until there's no other way out. She'll have something up her sleeve."

"Well what's the worst she could do to us?" Matt pointed out, though he wasn't exactly looking forward to the day either. "I mean we aren't in any of her classes and like you said, the principal doesn't have anything on us that he could use as leverage. Plus your mom's not stupid enough to try and make us be part of it, especially when we explain that it will be a flop and will damage the future career she keeps imagining for you."

"True, but I can't shake this feeling of impending doom."

"Well we have to go in if we want to get to our lockers before first period." Matt pointed out after consulting his watch. "Unless of course you want to continue standing out here so that everyone thinks we're too afraid to go on inside."

"Shut up." Sending him a dark look Rika began walking briskly towards the school doors with Matt following close behind with a smile on his face.

* * *

Of course everyone in their classes throughout the day wanted to talk about their stunt at the play auditions but neither of them were talking much and no one got much out of them besides the fact that no, they had no intentions of performing in the play. Unfortunately for Matt he had music second period so he had to deal with his music teacher who tried, in an obvious way, to influence him into joining the play. Since he liked the guy Matt did his best to let the man down easy. There was just no way they were going to be in that play. No way, no how. By lunch time they were both exhausted and meeting up at Rika's locker they trudged down the hallway side by side looking worn out despite the fact that it was only a little past noon.

"If one more person asks me why I won't be in her stupid play I'm going to snap. I've had drama club members ganging up on me all day." Rika muttered, a decidedly cross look on her face. She really, really wanted to hit somebody. Where the hell was Kazu when she needed him?

"If I hear where's your school spirit one more time I'm going to beat the school spirit out of them." Was Matt's peeve at the moment. He hated people trying to guilt him into doing things he obviously didn't want to do. People were always doing that because they knew he was an easy target for it.

"Everyone's bombarding us to talk you guys into it too." Takato informed them as he popped up beside Matt. "I tried to tell them that there's really no changing your minds once you've decided something but they don't seem to want to listen to me. A friend of mine who's in the drama club told me to tell you guys that you'll want to watch your backs. Apparently Mido's on the war path where you two are concerned. He thinks maybe Mido's cooking something up to make you guys join. He didn't know what that something was though."

"Well tell him thanks anyway." Rika said with a shrug, not surprised in the least. "She'll show her hand when she's ready. She just doesn't realize that she's playing poker with some professional gamblers who aren't in the habit of losing to washed out divas."

* * *

The ace up the drama teacher's sleeve was discovered at the end of the second last period as the students found their hallways flooded with flyers advertising a movie night that was to be held in four days featuring none other than Rika Nonaka and Matt Ishida in supporting roles. Tearing one off Rika scanned it before crumpling it in her hands. "She even managed to find a copy with Japanese frickin subtitles." She hissed, heaving the crumpled ball into the nearby garbage can. "Damn her, how the hell did she find out about that? It wasn't on our school records and we did the damn movie almost a decade ago!"

"You guys were in a movie?" Reading another one of the flyers Henry looked over at her with interest while Alice read over his shoulder.

"It was really no big deal." Looking annoyed and flustered Rika was seriously getting pissed off without an appropriate outlet in sight. "And now this is going to be all over the school and then I'm going to have to come in here and blow the entire school population away so that they can never speak of this again."

"Well you know, no one comes to these stupid movie nights." Alice pointed out, though in her gut she knew that wouldn't be the case this time. Once word got out that Matt and Rika were actually in it people would flock to see it. The gym would definitely be packed to capacity. She was even itching to see it, unloyal as that was. What kind of a movie was it anyway? It certainly had a weird title.

"How big is your role anyway? I mean a couple scenes is really no big deal." Henry pointed out, wondering what it was that happened in the movie that Rika didn't want anyone to see. It was pretty obvious how upset she was about this.

"Matt and I are the supporting actors. We're in the whole damn thing!"

"Oh." Alice said with a wince, looking at the poster again. "Well in that case...you're screwed, aren't you?"

* * *

And indeed they were. They went to the principal and he made it quite clear that the only way that movie night was going to be canceled was if they agreed to be in the school play and act to the best of their abilities. Miss. Mido said the same. With no one else to go to to try and get the movie night canceled Matt and Rika had to admit that in this case they were good and screwed. They could try to sabotage the thing but that would be just the ammunition the principal needed to force them into the play or even worse, use as an excuse to suspend or expel them since Rika had no illusions as to how much the principal disliked her. He wouldn't wait for proof she'd done it anymore. So they were stuck counting down the days until the movie was shown, doing their best to discourage everyone possible from going without any real success. From the sounds of things everyone wanted to be there. And so four days later Matt and Rika found themselves heading to the gym along with their friends to watch the movie. They'd figured it was better to know just what version of the movie she was playing and whether or not she intended to show the DVD extras if she'd gotten ahold of that version. God help them if she did.

Finally it was show time and Miss Mido taking center stage she gave a quick speech about how thrilled she was to present a movie starring two of their very own students before the lights went dim and the movie began. The screen flickering to life they were soon going past the companies involved as the theme music began to play and Rika's seven year old voice joined it, speaking in English with Japanese subtitles.

* * *

'Every year teachers ask you to give a dumb report on what you did during your summer vacation. I always thought this was really stupid because we live in one of the most boring towns in the world and nothing ever really happens here. But this year I actually have a story to tell so you all better shut up and listen. A lot happened to me this summer and it all started with my house. Not the one I live in, but the one I planned to live in when I grew up. Ask anyone about that house and they'll tell you it's mine. My story begins on the day someone else tried to move into it without my permission.'

The screen went from forest scenes to focus on an old, two story house that was in need of a paint job. Bursting forth from the house was a girl of about seven wearing overalls and a bright blue T-shirt under it. Her reddish brown hair was caught up in pigtails and you had the sense that she was anxious to get somewhere. Coming out of the house behind the girl came a woman that resembled her slightly looking more than a little frazzled and pressed for time.

"Now, Itchy." The woman said, her hands going to her hips. "You go straight to your grandmother's and no dawdling this time. You hear me?"

Rolling her eyes the girl looked like she wanted to pout but thought better of it. "Can I at least stop and check on my house on the way?"

"Fine, but straight to grandma's afterwards." Once she had the girl's word she quickly hugged her daughter then getting into her car sped off with the girl named Itchy waving her mother off before heading into the woods that surrounded her house. The screen was filled with images of the little girl making her way through the woods with names of the people who were part of the film flashing across the screen.

* * *

"Did that just say that Brad Pitt was in this movie?" Jeri hissed, staring at Matt and Rika like she'd never seen them before in her life.

"Yeah, he plays my dad in this. Keep quiet or you're going to miss seeing Rika at her best. Or worst depending on how you want to look at it." Matt whispered back, giving Jeri a teasing wink.

"I can't believe you were in a movie with Brad Pitt and you didn't tell me." Suzi said out loud, glaring at Rika like she'd committed some horrible sin. "You know how much I like him!"

"He's married and if you don't shut your trap you're going to miss the first scene with him in it." That, thankfully, shut Suzi up as the sight of Itchy, the girl she'd played in the movie, came to a grinding halt as she stared through the thinning trees at the sight of movers moving boxes and furniture into a rather ancient looking three story house that none the less was quite beautiful and stunning, if in need of a lot of repairs.

* * *

"What the hell do they think they're doing!" Eyes flashing the little girl went running up to the movers, obviously intending to cause them to quit what they were doing. She changed direction though when she caught sight of two men standing by a car, deep in discussion. One of them, the younger one, was a man any woman in the world would recognize. You just didn't forget a face like Brad Pitt's, especially when he was smiling, "Mr. Thatcher!" The girl yelled, loud enough to damage eardrums. "What are these men doing moving things into MY house!"

"Oh damn. I'd hoped to have you moved in before she came by." The old man, obviously Mr. Thatcher said to the other man as he pasted on his best relator smile for the girl. "Now, Itchy, you know this isn't your house. You're too young to own a house of your own."

"You liar." Drawing back her foot she kicked the man sharply in the shines, the other man preventing the relator from falling backwards. "This is my house and you said it was mine! You said once I'd saved enough money I could buy it from you! You good for nothing, ugly son of a bitch! How dare you let these people live in my house without asking me first! I'm going to kick your fat ass black and blue."

* * *

"So you're Itchy." The character played by Brad Pitt said as he bent down so that he was more on the girl's level. "I saw your name on the stairs." He added with a smile as he pointed over to the wooden stairs that led up to the front porch. In the very middle of the steps was her name in bright, black letters. She'd gone to a lot of trouble to carve Itchy's Place there and had even colored inside it with black permanent marker so that it would show up real good. "How old are you, Itchy?"

"What's my age got to do with anything?" Itchy demanded to know, her hands going to her hips and sparks practically shooting out of her striking purple eyes. "What matters is that you're in my house and you aren't wanted!"

"Now you hold it right there, girlie." Mr. Thatcher ordered, now that he'd recovered his composure enough to shake his finger at the little hooligan. "I let you get away with putting your name there but I won't stand here and let you talk to Mr. Logan like that. This is his house now and there's nothing you can do about it, young lady. And don't even think about scaring him off like you did the last people that lived here."

"You can't prove I did anything." Was her stubborn reply.

"We'll I'd guess you were about seven or eight." Mr. Logan, aka Brad Pitt said nicely, like he wasn't dealing with a belligerent kid on the war path. "I have a son about your age and I think you and I could make a deal concerning this house. Will you hear me out?"

After a few moments of silence the girl finally nodded. "I'm listening."

* * *

"Well like I said, I have a son named Will and he doesn't know anybody here yet. So if you were to agree to be friends with him and show him around once school starts then I'll let you buy the house from me once you're old enough to afford it. How does that sound? And before you say no realize that this house is going to cost a lot of money to fix up. Money I'd spend fixing it up while I was living here. "

Eyes narrowing it was obvious she wasn't feeling especially trusting, the relator lying to her obviously having made an impression. Finally she lifted a hand and spitting on it held it out to him. "You gotta spit swear. Mr. Thatcher wouldn't and he lied to me. And if you lie to me I'll make your life a living hell as long as you live in this town. I can do it too. Ask anyone and they'll tell you that Itchy Maxwell isn't someone you want to have as an enemy. My uncles are real big too and they'll beat you up if I tell them you were mean to me."

"Now, see here young lady." The relator began, only to stop as he watched in shock as the man copied her action and shook hands with her, spit and all.

* * *

"It's a deal then. And you can call me Adam, Itchy." She was told as he let go of her hand. Turning to face the house he cupped his hands together and yelled for his son Will. Moments later a small blond boy of about eight came trudging out, looking absolutely adorable in his rumpled clothes and glasses just a little bit too big for him. "Will, this Itchy. Itchy, this is my son Will."

"Are you the delinquent who carved her name into our stairs?" The boy wanted to know by way of introduction.

"Are you a nerd because I don't hang out with nerds." Was the girl's reply, a fierce look coming onto her face. "I have a reputation to keep up you know."

"I'm not a nerd." Was the boy's quick resort, obviously not liking that label at all. "And why would I want to hang out with a tomboy like you?"

"Because your Daddy says I gots to be friends with you or else I can't have my house back when I have enough money." Itchy informed him, a don't even think about messing with me look on her scrunched up, adorable face. "So if you are a nerd I'm going to have to beat it out of you and make you man enough to be seen with me."

"I'm only eight! It's physically impossible for you to make a man out of me yet!"

"Wanna bet?"


End file.
